As a resident of New York City, squirrels were always a common sight in my neighborhood. When I found out about Vanderbilt’s 3-1 squirrel-to-student ratio on campus, I did not think anything special about this statistic, as I had already been accustomed to the abundance of squirrels at home. However, my opinion of these campus squirrels changed during the second week as a first-year.   

During my second week, while I was walking back from main campus to Commons, I started to feel myself crying. Perhaps it was the feeling of everything in college settling in so fast, or maybe the fact that I missed home and family or maybe even the stress that I was feeling as I began to apply for clubs and leadership positions. There could have been a variety of reasons that started that first stream of tears during that second week of school. To calm myself down, I took a seat on a bench near the medical center and caught a glance at a squirrel jumping past me. It held a piece of lettuce between its paws and started to munch on it.   

My thoughts of sadness and confusion immediately went away as I stared at the squirrel eating bite by bite. The squirrel’s cuteness overpowered any negative thoughts I had in the moment and made my mood instantly better.   

At that moment, I knew that during my time at Vanderbilt, the campus squirrels and bunnies would not just be a common, insignificant creature, but rather part of the supportive campus community that Vanderbilt seeks to create. 

My love for bunnies started when I was a child. I dreamed of owning a backyard full of them. Thus, the idea of bunnies living on the same campus as me excited me thoroughly. During my late-night, sometimes 3 a.m., walks from Stevenson Library back to Commons, I would always be surprised when I ran into the company of a cute campus bunny. These encounters made my dark and cold night walk back to my dorm feel supported and protected. Bunnies are much harder to encounter than squirrels during the day, but when I do spot one, it makes my day extra special.   

First-year Yeydi Torres proves with her squirrel rescue story that the support and care between our campus animals and students are indeed mutual. Torres spotted a squirrel on top of a pipeline of East House on her way back from the main portion of campus and heard it squeaking and crying.  

“Just from knowing squirrel behavior on campus, I immediately knew that there was something wrong,” Torres said.  

After calling campus police and being told that they weren’t able to help with the squirrel rescue, Torres and a few of her friends came together to go to East House to save the squirrel on their own. They asked the residents of the room in front of the pipeline in East House if they could enter to help get the squirrel down. Through the collaborative effort of Torres, her friends and the residents of East, they were able to successfully get the squirrel down from the pipeline. 

“We were glad that we were able to help them because I feel like they helped us so much,” Torres said. 

The unique aspect of the Vanderbilt campus animals is that they seem remarkably comfortable among students, creating a sense of coexistence. They pass the same routes that we take to classes and camp near the same dining halls that we enjoy going to, just as if they were truly part of the student body at Vanderbilt. Without the mutual care students have for the squirrel, and the trust from the squirrel themselves, this rescue story wouldn’t have been possible.  

At Vanderbilt, community presence can take many different forms. One unique community offered at Vanderbilt is the connection between the students and the campus squirrels and bunnies. These furry creatures help shape the experience of learning and living inside Vanderbilt’s arboretum campus and allow us to connect with nature around us. Moreover, they remind students to take breaks and appreciate the space they live in, even during busy times of the school year.