Hey friends, it has been quite some time, and for that I apologize (in hopes that you have actually missed my blog posts).
So, let’s catch up.
This first month off campus has been a roller-coaster. If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I love roller-coasters. I have one piece of advice for any student looking to do something at Hope: study off campus, do it.
I never thought that I would study off campus. I assumed, similar to high school, that I would just stay put. Since attending Hope, I branched out to tons of student activities outside my comfort zone. Getting out of your comfort zone allows God to work through you in ways that you couldn’t have otherwise. Listen to what He is calling you to do. If you don’t hear anything yet, just wait. It will be better than you could have imagined.
My roommates and classmates could not be more amazing! I have been challenged by them, in many ways, to think deeply. Closest to the camera, is my sweet friend, Lo Wall. In the lower left corner is my other sweet pal, Georgia Armitage. From Saturday morning Farmer’s Market adventures to exploring Michigan Avenue stores; these girls make city-living the best!
These are my classmates. In this program, we spend the first five weeks in a seminar setting. The setting is meant to prepare us for our individual research projects. For example, I am designing a project that focuses on comedic reactions during the Cold War era.
From taking a water taxi across Chinatown to spending a day exploring Pilsen (a Hispanic neighborhood), we have seen a lot of Chicago. The program had challenged me to view the world through many different lenses, other than my own.
Now for the fun stuff! Kidding…kind of.
In just this first month I went to a Cubs vs. Brewers game. Although we (the Cubs) lost, it was a nail-biting game till the end! Not to mention, our seats weren’t so bad.
I will say that studying off campus is what you make it. You could be anywhere in the world, but if you don’t step outside your apartment or host-home, you could miss out on something extraordinary. Chicago has treated me so well.