By Giselle Lee | Staff Writer
In college, students strive to build friendships that are as close as family. But at Baylor, family can be closer than you think.
For Wylie junior Tiandra Acquaye, McKinney sophomore Juliet Korto and Manvel freshman Jeremiah Ocloo, their lives changed overnight when they first met on campus, only to learn they were long-lost cousins after tracing their family lineage back to the Ghanaian Ewe tribe together.
Acquaye said that despite being close with Korto during childhood, they lost contact before attending Baylor. They recently reconnected through Instagram and met up during the Mosaic Mixer event earlier this month.
“I was surprised to see that I have been going to school with Juliet (Korto) this whole time, but we had never crossed paths,” Acquaye said. “Especially since we are both studying similar things and came to Baylor at around the same time.”
Korto said the reunion was slightly unexpected, as they found out over the summer break through her aunt, with whom she and Acquaye used to play.
“[Acquaye] went by a different name when we were little, so I wouldn’t have recognized her even now,” Korto said. “Now I think we’re going to be friends again, because she’s very nice.”
It was a slightly different affair for Ocloo, who met one cousin after another within the same week; with Acquaye, they crossed paths “out in the open” at the Student Union Building, whereas with Korto, they discovered their connection through a mutual friend.
Ocloo said meeting his cousins at Baylor was a “weird” experience, but he appreciated having people close to him.
“It means I can’t act a fool, but it’s cool to have a home away from home,” Ocloo said. “I was worried that Waco was going to be unfamiliar territory, but now I have a family here already. I’m excited for my freshman year, and now I have my seniors, my elders, my ancestors here to give me advice and tips and tricks.”
Ocloo said he hopes to use his experience to encourage students to “go out” and talk to people to form unique connections.
“You shouldn’t be afraid to go out and talk,” Ocloo said. “Everyone wants to make connections. If you like them, you stay friends with them. If you don’t, you move on. Maybe you’ll find your cousin, or your twin sister.”
Korto said that she looks forward to bringing her cousins around Waco and “having a good time” bonding together. She also highlighted the importance of using friends as connections.
“Our mutual has a lot of friends, so if I see her with somebody, I’m going to talk to her, then I’m going to talk to everybody else,” Korto said. “It’s a very easy way to find friends. I’m excited to bring them to tour around downtown Waco; the library, the coffee shops, the very cute, very nice, pretty area we live in, I want them to see it.”
For Acquaye, time and space were crucial in forming special connections, which she hoped students could learn from her cousins’ stories.
“I spent my first year to myself, just focusing on school, which affected how I felt about going out and even if Baylor was the right place for me apart from the academics,” Acquaye said. “Go out and place yourself in an environment with people that share similar interests. I’m glad to still be here at Baylor and connecting with people I enjoy having in my community.”
