“Mafia in the Woods” anyone?

DreamTEAM
Dream Team 2014-2015

This weekend, I went on a fantastic retreat with this group of people. These guys and gals are what makes up the Dream Team for Dance Marathon. Dance Marathon is event put on by Hope College that raises money for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The actual Marathon is a 24 hour event where people stay on their feet for 24 hours straight. You get to dance, play games, hear hospital children’s stories, and so much more. Last year, was the first time I did Dance Marathon and it changed my life. This year I am on the Dream Team – a group of 29 students that put on the whole marathon! It is a ton of work, but so worth it. What makes it worth it, is the kids. It so satisfying being a part of the  kid’s journey and to get to help them through battling their different diseases.

This weekend I had the opportunity to actually tour the Helen DeVos Hospital (which is more like a hotel!) and get to know the members of my team better. We stayed at a log cabin in the woods. We had a TON of fun. One night, we shut off all the lights and played Mafia. People were bumping around in the dark, screaming as they ran into people, and some townspeople were dying until they were able to uncover the Mafia’s identity. It was a blast.

This retreat was so good and makes me extremely excited for the upcoming Dance Marathon. FOR THE KIDS!!!

Dreamteam thanks
At the end of the retreat, we said kind                 loving things to team members by passing         them the ribbon to someone and then saying something kind to them.

 

 

The People You Meet

Hey Everyone!

Two weeks have gone by and things are already off to a great start! Classes are challenging but oddly enough they are awesome in the same way. The real meaning of this post is to tell you all how amazing the people you will meet at Hope College are!

  1. You are going to meet some of the kindest, most genuine people you ever will! (your best friend and maybe even life long relationship!)
  2. The hardest part is remembering names! You will meet so many amazing people that you will struggle with remembering names, it just is that way, but it is awesome all in the same!
  3. The students and faculty are unlike any other college. Nothing compares to the people I have met here! I could not be happier! Everyone truly cares about you, even if you have never met them or if you cannot remember their name.
  4. The people at Hope will be genuine and really ask you how you are doing. The charisma of the students here is amazing! The campus is beaming with happiness!

One of the nicest things about Hope College is that they create a lot of opportunities and activities for you and your newly made friends to do! This allows you to get to know each other and have a blast all at the same time! The area of Holland is wonderful as well! Downtown is so close to campus that you can walk a block and get frozen yogurt with friends whenever! There are some awesome beaches around as well! I got to go to a place we call “The Bowl” and watch the sunset the other night, which you cannot beat a Bowl sunset!

The Bowl Sunset
The Bowl Sunset

The following night I went to the State Park Beach which is equally amazing! It is beautiful as well and has beach volleyball courts and a big pier you can jump off of! In reality though, it is the people you go on these adventures with that make it so amazing!

photo 2 Couldn’t be happier with the friends I have made this year at Hope and it is only two weeks in! Hopefully I will meet a lot of you during this year or next!

Thanks for letting me share about my friends!
Jesse Heerdt

Hey, I’m Home Again!

Home Sweet Hope, as the saying goes.

It’s a new year with new and exciting experiences ahead, and I am psyched to see what God has planned for me in the coming weeks. With this in mind, I figure with the new year starting off, I’ll throw in a reintroduction as well as a recap of my first two weeks of classes.

I’m best known by either Sophie or Soph, depending on the day and depending on who I happen to be talking to. Maybe you had a chance to see some of my posts over the summer, but if you’re new to checking out the Hope College blog, first of all, WELCOME!! and second of all, I’ll reintroduce myself to give you a chance to get to know me better.

I have recently declared a Communication major and Leadership minor (it’s about time, considering I’ve completed/enrolled in 20 Communication credits and 10 Leadership credits), and it has been cool to see new opportunities develop by turning in my official declaration. For one, my face is posted in the Communication hallway on a pretty sweet bulletin board along with my fellow Communication majors. Second, I have a non-academic requirement of my Leadership minor to have a mentor, who I have recently contacted. My heart is so happy.

Over and over again, I see God opening new doors for me to dance through. I’m so lost in His grace. When I walk through the doors of Dimnent each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings and on Sunday nights and am surrounded daily by amazing and inspiring peers and professors, I am reminded why the campus of Hope is my favorite place to be.

Here’s a quick glimpse of what my first two weeks on campus have looked like thus far:

First day of school:

First Day of School

Now, I didn’t think I’d begin the first day of my Sophomore year on crutches, but it turns out that the amount of walking talking place on a college campus was something my left leg couldn’t handle right away (side note: I broke my foot earlier this summer). So, I crutched/scootered around, kept practicing my physical therapy exercises, found the elevators in all of the academic buildings, and sweated (a lot, as you can see I’m sweating in this picture) because it was incredibly muggy and, for anyone who has been on crutches, you know how much extra effort it takes to get places. Good news, though – as of yesterday, both of my feet are officially walking!

THE BEACH:

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I could stay at the beach forever, and that’s all I really have to say about that.

Of course, I’ve been doing my homework, calling my family (don’t forget to do that!), and doing plenty of other productive things… but the beach, yeah, that’s my absolute favorite.

Want to continue to keep up with me? Keep up with my blog here, follow me on twitter @hopesophie17, or if you have questions or comments please feel free to tweet at me @hopesophie17 or send me an email at sophie.guetzko@hope.edu. Have a great weekend!

Summer of Adventures

With week one and two down, people are starting to get into the swing of everything and creating a momentum with classwork and other responsibilities. As for me, I’m figuring out a routine as well but I’ve also been reflecting on the summer and how quickly it went by. Here are a few of the major things that occupied most of my time the past few months:

  1. Vienna, Austria. If you read the past blog I had with Marvin, you know that I went to Vienna for three weeks for a May term. This was honestly probably the most exciting experience I’ve ever had. It allowed me to be independent while being around peers in an unknown country. So many friendships and memories were made as well as hilarious moments of getting lost, confused and turned around because of the culture. Regardless, the places we went and how quickly people grew to know one another was such a blessing and I wouldn’t exchange those memories for anything.
  2. Work. After coming back from Vienna, I went straight back to work at a local farmer’s market called Sprouts. I worked there last summer as well and man does it teach me patience and people-skills. It’s remarkable the types of people that you encounter working as a cashier. Besides the work aspect of the job, I made some great relationships with coworkers in the meantime and I actually miss working (to an extent!) because I don’t get to experience their companionship anymore.
  3. Bel-Air. For those of you who don’t know where Bel-Air is, it’s an area in West Hollywood where celebrities are known to live. Well, I was fortunate enough to meet up with one of my close friends that I actually met in Vienna and hang out with her and her family in Bel-Air. The lifestyle there is absolutely ridiculous—I felt out of place in my little sundress going to the Bel-Air Country Club for dinner. It was such a blast regardless of my inability to adapt to a different lifestyle but it was cool knowing that we were staying up the street from Jennifer Aniston and Clint Eastwood! How crazy is that?!?! I absolutely loved the idea that my Vienna adventures created such great relationships that I was able to continue those after the trip and meet up with someone that was visiting California!
  4. Applications. Besides all of the fun that took place and beach visits I had with friends, this summer was very stressful because I was applying to grad school! Even though this is my last year at Hope, I get to go through another three years for Physical Therapy. It was such a relief to get applications and the headache of deadlines out of the way. It’s hard for me to imagine how stressed I would be if I hadn’t completed it all before school but had to juggle that with classes as well! Now I just have to wait for my acceptance… hopefully that comes sooner than later!
  5. Big Surprise. This surprise I’m talking about is not my own surprise but between my best friend and her boyfriend. I’m excited to say that my friends Alex and Melissa are officially engaged! It was especially difficult for me because I had to keep it a secret for about six months and I had to lie multiple times to Melissa so she wouldn’t find out she was being proposed to! Despite the deceit that took place, it was all worth it when Alex got down on one knee and proposed to my closest friend. Not going to lie, I think I cried more than her own parents. I was an emotional mess to say the least! It was by far one of the best moments I have witnessed and I’m happy to have been part of it.

Welp, those were some of my big highlights of the summer! It most certainly went by quickly and it’s weird to think that I’m writing this blog post as a SENIOR! I feels like I was just moving into Dykstra freshman year and trying to get to know people and the campus. Time sure flies by but I’m excited to see what this year has in store!

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @hopeleslie15.

In the Swing of Things!

I can hardly believe it, but another semester is underway. Almost two full weeks of classes are in the books, and homework is piling up. However, being back at Hope is proving to be quite blessing!

This year, unlike other years, has been a little different. Instead of living in on-campus housing and eating on meal plan, I have elected to live off-campus and cook my own food (truly an adventure). Blue Big (my house’s name) has a lot of character. It’s like one of those houses that HGTV would love to get a hold of and fix up. But for now, my housemates and I are enjoying the experience of paying rent, utilities, and living without air conditioning. We survive the days of 91% humidity by standing in front of fans and eating ice cream, specifically Captain Sundae…. which isn’t too bad of a deal!

The best thing about being back at Hope College is reuniting with great friends, and making new friends. One of the greatest things about Hope is its sense of community. Even though most of my friends spent the summer apart, we jumped back into the swing of things like a day hadn’t past since our last get together.

At this point, the semester looks like it’s going to be an exciting one. So far, here are some of the things I’m most looking forward too:

  1. Ben Rector Concert – hosted by SAC on September 18th
  2. Hope vs. Calvin Volleyball game – September 20th at DeVos
  3. Waking up for Tax exams at 5:45 AM… thank goodness I only have 2 exams
  4. Watching college football with friends (Go A&M!)
  5. Participating in Bible study with some great friends
  6. Donut Runs!!
  7. ArtPrize – Downtown Grand Rapids
  8. Season 5 of Downton Abbey – Big Blue housemate bonding time
  9. Spending time with amazing Professors
  10. Watching my cousin play football for Zeeland East
  11. Playing euchre

I look forward to sharing my experiences with y’all in the coming weeks, and months. I am completely confident that this semester is going to be a good one!

Till next time,

Chels

P.S. I thought I’d share a couple pictures of my room. I’m pretty proud of the way it turned out!

Room Decor Room Decor

What College Seniors DON’T Want To Hear

Yep, unfortunately/fortunately it’s my senior year here at Hope College. Before starting school, I was so stoked and am already looking forward to graduation (May 3rd). I even had a countdown for graduation. But since starting my final year of undergraduate studies, I realized I am not ready AT ALL. I’ve been pounded with questions, and I’m sure you seniors out there have also had this experience. As a thought, I just collected a bunch of questions that I know will irk seniors. Purpose: for seniors to know they’re not the only ones getting annoyed and for non-seniors to stop asking these questions. Well, here goes nothing!

What do you want to do after college?

For beginners, how would I know, or other seniors know if they can’t even decide whether or not they want to do their homework? For crying out loud. I mean some people might have an idea, but ideas and people change, constantly. So what do I want to do after college? I’m still not quite sure even though I have an idea. My senior friends, don’t fret.

When are you going to settle down?

Uhh, settle down with what? Homework? Ahhhhh, like marriage? Hmmm…. not in the near future. For those who are married or engaged in college, KUDOS TO YOU! That takes serious commitment and time. Personally, I just can’t imagine. That’s all I have to really to say to that.

It’s hard to live in “The Real World.”

Does that mean I’m living in fake world during college? Nahhh, I don’t think so. We ARE living in the real world, just in different contexts. College should be a time that challenges us so you we know how to properly function in. We are given the tools, but at the same time are presently living in the real world. I mean, if we weren’t living in the real world, we wouldn’t be living at all.

Enjoy college while it lasts.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying “college is the best four years of your life.” I mean I agree and disagree to some extent. I can confidently say that so far, it has been the best four years, but I haven’t experienced much yet. “Enjoy college while it lasts” also sounds like life after college is miserable, which is the complete opposite. Life should keep getting better! So yes, enjoy college while you’re in it. Make the best of it, but college isn’t the only exciting time in our lives. We have a lifetime to figure that out!

Lastly,

Are you ready to graduate?

Yes. No. Maybe? Whether you are ready or not, we are going to graduate no matter what. Life moves and on and it doesn’t stop. As seniors, I think we need to quit being in denial because graduation is inevitable.

That’s all for now, readers! If you haven’t done so, make sure to read more of my blogs, follow me on TWITTER and INSTAGRAM!

The Old and the New

A new semester. Freshmen come in, eager to get to know new people, concerned about their major, wondering whether or not to switch classes, and trying to navigate their way through Phelps Dining Hall.

Wait, I’m doing all those things, too. I kind of feel like a freshman again because this year has been such a fresh new start. I came into this school year with completely different goals and a new outlook from last year. I don’t just want to get good grades and meet different people (although I want to do those things too!); I want to live into the plans that God is calling me to. I want to fall in love with the things that I’m studying. I want to pour into people and build stronger relationships than I ever have. I want my heart to break for what breaks God’s heart. I want to dive deeply into Scripture and theology and history and learning everything I can about who God is and what he has done and what he is doing. I want this year to look so different than last year did (even though last year was great too!).

One thing that’s very new this year is my major. At the end of last year, I was declared as a music major, planning to pursue a ministry minor. However, before I declared my major, and several times after as well, majoring in religion kept popping into my mind. I kept telling myself that I was a music major and that I was at peace about it, but deep down I knew it wasn’t true. Religion came into my mind over and over. Finally, the first night that residents were staying in the residence halls, I decided to jump. I looked at the religion department offerings in the Hope course catalog and stumbled upon a major called Ethics, Culture, And Social Witness and immediately knew that’s exactly what I needed to do. I finally felt like I was saying, “Okay, God. I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m going to go for it.” On Monday, I went into the Registrar and dropped all my classes and picked up all new ones. I continued having to rearrange a little bit after classes started, but I finally got everything sorted out and I’m so happy! I love my classes and I am learning about so many things that I’m incredibly interested in. Hope’s music department is also super great and I gained so much knowledge there, but I know that by choosing to study religion, I’m finally doing what God is leading me to. I am still a music minor (which I have 98% done!) and I’m also still taking voice lessons and involved in Chapel Choir, so I kind of feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds. It’s so great!

It’s also been so great to see how friendships, both old and new, have already progressed throughout the school year. I have found friends in the Dykstra RAs that were exactly what I needed and I am so thankful for them! I’ve also been able to spend time with the girls who lived in my cluster last year and it’s been so great to reconnect with them. They’re so wonderful and I’m so glad I got to spend so much time with them last year and that our friendship is carrying over into meals at Phelps, coffee dates, and room visits! It’s been so great to get to know residents all around Dykstra, too. There are so many girls, so it’s definitely difficult to connect with everyone, but it’s been great to put names with faces and have quick conversations here and there with lots of people. I love the social aspect of Dykstra!

Here’s a picture from when I was on duty Wednesday night! I got to spend time with so many great people – old friends and new! 🙂

Duty Box and Friends

I’m so excited for this year and all my new adventures! Keep up with me on Twitter by following @hopekathryn17, on Instagram at @kathrynekrieger, or by sending me an email at kathryn.krieger@hope.edu! Thank you for reading!

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.'”

– Revelation 21:5

Euroadventure 1

Hey all! About last week, my fellow blogger and friend Leslie Kempers and I collaborated and wrote a blog on our adventures during the Vienna Summer School! If you want to read it (which I suggest you do!) here is the link! CLICK HERE!! The program has two sessions, May Term and June Term. Leslie was there for just the May Term, but I was there for both! So what I’m going to do is split it up into a two-part series, Euroadventure 1, 2, & 3! Here is the first part! I hope you enjoy it!

EUROADVENTURE 1: ROMA, ITALIA

After the May Term session ended, students staying for both sessions had a free weekend. So, what do you do in Europe with a free weekend? TRAVEL. My best bud Joey and myself had planned a trip to Rome for that free weekend in MARCH. Crazy to think we planned that far ahead! But, another companion joined us for an adventure of a lifetime, our very own MEG! So, the day after everyone flew back home, we headed to the airport and were ROMA bound. What a crazy long day it was. After the arriving at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, we took a lengthy bus ride to the Roma Termini station where we got on the line A metro to our “hotel.” I put hotel in quotes because it really was a camping village of sorts, but it was SO COOL! We had our own bungalow, with a fully functioning bathroom and beds. It was neat! After arriving, it was very late, so we just crashed.

We woke up early because we knew it would be a long long day. After getting ready, it was time to explore Rome. This day was perfect weather. The weather was supposed to be awful with thunderstorms, but it worked out in our favor. We literally visited as many monuments and landmarks as possible. Here is a list of what we did/saw!

  • Coliseum
  • Roman Forum
  • Palatine Hill
  • Spanish Steps
  • Piazza Navona
  • Trevi Fountain
  • Vatican City

After our long day, we headed back to our bungalow to just debrief on our day and our adventures, and just hung out which was so fun. The best thing about our adventures was that we didn’t do everything in a particular order. If anything, we LITERALLY meandered the city and ended up at these places. We headed to bed after our long day because our trip back to Vienna was extensive. We took a taxi to Ciampino Airport (Rome’s Regional Airport) and flew to Bratislava, Slovakia. From there, we took a train to Vienna.

If you ever get the chance to go to Rome, do it. There is just so much history and culture to learn. Oh, and the pasta and food are out of this world. Here are some of our pictures from our trip. Look forward for the next part of the series coming soon! Thanks for reading!

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Is It Fall Yet?

While I love going to the State Park and enjoying Holland when it’s nice and summer-y out, nothing beats Holland in the fall. There are so many trees in Centennial Park that daily walks become a must, and cider and donuts from Crane’s is one of the best excuses to take a break from studying, too. Oh, don’t forget that Lemonjello’s brings back Caramel Cider and Chi-Cider in the Fall.

Fall Break seems like it’s too soon in the year when you start at Hope, but by the time it rolls around there’s nothing to be more thankful for. It’s also right around that time that you really get into the swing of things, and you learn how to knock out your homework on a Sunday instead of taking all week to read one chapter.

My only complaint about fall in Holland is that it usually starts too late and it usually ends too early. Before you know it, the leaves are all on the ground and you’ll see the first snow flake of the year.

Being a Senior, this is the last fall that I’ll spend in Holland. Now that I know exactly what I have the time to accomplish, I’m pretty confident it’ll be the best one yet.

From Hope to Hillsong

When a promoted ad for a Hillsong concert in Grandville, Michigan, popped up on my Twitter newsfeed in early July, I immediately felt a call to attend. As a matter of fact, I remember the ad catching my eye so much that I was (pretending) to jump up and down (I was still in my boot), the instant I saw it. So, I called up my two best friends, Delaney and Sarah, and we bought tickets for the concert.

IT WAS AMAZING. Two nights ago, I experienced my first worship concert with two amazing sisters in Christ. We road-tripped to Grandville, ate Mexican food, and praised our amazing God. Here’s some pictures from our adventure:

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Over and over again, I hear the lyrics from Hillsong’s “Oceans”: Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders.

That is my prayer to God, that I will trust in Him even when my strength is failing. I want to walk on the water like Peter did when Jesus told him to come, and I desire to walk without questioning whether or not He has the power to save me. I know He has that power.

This concert was life-changing. Our only bummer was that we missed the first Gathering of the year in Dimnent Chapel, studying the book of Acts– we’re still sad about that– however, I heard God was doing great things there as well. Praise God for doing so many amazing things in so many amazing places, and most of all, doing them all at once.

Want to hear more about the fun things happening on campus and in the surrounding area? Follow me on twitter @hopesophie17. Have questions or feel a need to learn more about what Hope has to offerl? Comment below or send me an email at sophie.guetzko@hope.edu. Have a great week!