The weather was raining on and off yesterday — the kind of weather in which students run to warm dorm rooms or apartments to escape the spring thunderstorms. But what if any of these students didn’t have a place to go and were forced to live outdoors in the cold in makeshift cardboard homes? What if they were homeless?

Students at Iowa State had a chance to experience exactly this at Iowa State’s annual Homeless Sleep Out. Started by the Catholic Student Community Organization, students across campus made shelters out of only cardboard and tape and lived on Central Campus from noon Wednesday until 9 a.m. Thursday.

For Kendra Kavan, junior in English and treasurer for the Catholic Student Community Organization, it was a way to break down stereotypes of the homeless and to show how lucky we are to have the basic necessities for life.

Kavan has not only participated in the event the past three years, but during last year’s Spring Break she traveled with three ISU students to Washington D.C. to participate in the National Homeless Immersion created by the National Coalition for the Homeless. The students spent 48 hours living on the streets in groups of two. Kavan and the other students weren’t allowed to have their cell phone, ID or cash on them. The group then would go around and just see what it was like to be homeless; they tried applying for jobs, finding places to sleep and interacting with people.

“People ignore you and pretend you’re not there,” she said. “When just the other day when you showered and looked nice, people would smile and say hi to you. But now you just feel invisible. You feel inhuman.”

At Iowa State, students can try and understand what it is like with the Homeless Sleep Out. The event began at Central Campus with information and statistics about homelessness, as well as information about legislation that is being proposed to help reduce homelessness.

The site was decorated with cardboard pieces with facts and the statement, “I’m not a criminal.”

Passers-by looked confused and took a closer look at the event. These signs were to educate and break down stereotypes of the homelessness.

Kavan stated that in order to try and make a difference, “you must educate first, then take action.” This concept is center to the Homeless Sleep Out, to create awareness and educate students.

“It helped me be a better person,” she said. “I was afraid of homeless people. There is that stigma that they are all junkies and drunks, and not all of them are. They still need to be treated with dignity, even if it’s just a smile and hello.”

The students waited for the rain to stop and they built their makeshift home with only cardboard and tape provided by local businesses such as Sam’s Club and Cub Foods. Their tiny fort provided little safety from the elements and the cold.

Later in the night, the students met with speakers from area organizations and learned what it is like to be in a shelter.

The lecture also included a passer-by who had spent time being homeless, and wanted to share his story. Cameron Lafollette, freshman in electrical engineering, explained to the audience how hard it was it is to be homeless.

“I had to always find something to keep me going,” he said. “Even it was something like the sun was shining, just that one thing that keeps you going.”

The students saw both sides of homelessness.

“It’s a good reminder of how lucky we are,” Kavan said. “Just because we are in college and we’ll probably have some golden opportunities, doesn’t mean we can’t end up in poverty. It’s a way to not take things for granted.”