One highlight of Sasha Campbell’s spring: Stepping in to teach a pair of dance classes at Bates College with students her own age.

“That was really fun, a taste of what I’d like to do,” said Campbell, who turned 22 last week.

The Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School grad took a semester off and still graduated early from Long Island University’s dance program this winter. She came home to a job

and still graduated early from Long Island University’s dance program this winter. She came home to a job at Art Moves Dance Studio in Norway. She teaches tap at the studio as well as three dance courses at Hartford-Sumner Elementary School.

She’s at the high school one afternoon a week.

“I love teaching, I always have,” Campbell said. “Just now, having a degree behind me, it’s a lot easier to know that what I’m giving them is the correct information.”

She’s grateful to have shaved a year off college — “I was ready to get on with my life already” — and, to her surprise, to be in Maine.

She left for New York four years ago excited to shake off small-town living.

“I didn’t know if I ever wanted to come back,” she said. That changed around sophomore year.

“I appreciate it so much more now. I appreciate the clean air, I appreciate the clean water.”

She wouldn’t have done the leaving or returning any different.

Campbell has a one-bedroom Auburn apartment. She also works at Ruby Tuesdays. She remembers asking her mom, “Is it bad that I’m serving and I have a degree?”

Absolutely not, her mom said. “You need transition time.” It works for her, for now.

Her advice to new freshmen?

“Don’t think too much. Don’t overanalyze. If your gut says go out with your friends even if you have a test the next day, get ready, study hard, don’t stay out too late and do it all,” she said. “All in all, have fun. It goes by faster than you know!”

This is one of a several part series. To read the rest of the stories, click here.