Amstutz Hall resident, Jillian McCauley, is one of many students to bring a childhood stuffed animal to Ashland University to bring her comfort and remind her of home.

Moving away from home for the first time can be difficult for any student. The stuffed animal accompanying McCauley during this life transition is a gray elephant named “Ellie.”

“I don’t remember receiving my stuffed animal. I’ve had my elephant, Ellie, since I was 6 weeks old,” McCauley said. “Over the years, Ellie has just kinda grown up with me. It’s like having a built-in friend.

Ray Yeh is another student on campus who owns stuffed animals, “I’ve got a panda plushy from Ikea. I call him 饺子, or JiaoZi, which is Mandarin for Dumpling. I have a small assortment of stuffed animals scattered around my room as a nice reminder of the group of people I’ve got around me cheering me on to keep doing my best every day.”

Yeh thinks of his stuffed animals as reminders of the people he loves.

Dr. Michael Vimont, the program director of AU’s social work department, sheds some light on why having a stuffed animal is common and helpful.

“Children as young infants begin showing signs of separation anxiety and while coping with this anxiety, use objects called ‘transitional objects’ to comfort themselves,” Vimont said.

Enrolling and going through the process of being a college freshman most definitely checks the box of being a huge life transition.

Vimont also explains why this happens so often, “not only is this a common phenomenon, but I would also argue it’s a universal one.”

“The term ‘transitional’ is essential because it directly suggests adaptation to change. The object is familiar and therefore represents consistency while experiencing transformational events in one’s life,” he added.

Relating to our tangible example of this occurrence, Ellie, the stuffed elephant, is only a small part of feeling comfortable away from home while living in AU. Ashland University provides many outlets to encourage positive mental health.

The university has a well-rounded wellness program consisting of activities like yoga and journaling, recreational services, personal counseling for students and more.

“Counselors assess and treat a broad range of social, behavioral, and emotional concerns, as well as connect students to other resources. Having that support system is a big comfort for anyone who is struggling or facing new challenges,” said Tim Hull, a licensed professional counselor at AU.

As for final thoughts, McCauley also wanted to explain that her stuffed animal goes everywhere with her, but not in the way you might expect.

“I brought Ellie to Ashland with me because I thought it would be nice to have her with me,” she said. “I originally wasn’t planning on bringing her, so to make sure she’s always with me, I now have a tattoo of Ellie.”

Finding comfort away from home can be challenging, but with AU’s resources, it should never be “the elephant in the room.”