I’ve been on campus all summer, and the past few move-in days have carried an evident shift in the air. All at once, campus is buzzing with excitement and nerves as we set out to begin a fresh semester. The beginning of fall semester is one of my favorite times on campus. Everyone reunites from a summer apart, meets new staff and students, and gets started on new courses and rhythms. Here’s some events happening around campus in the first few weeks…
Groovin’ in the Grove (August 31)
Hope has three student worship teams that alternate playing in chapel. At Groovin’, all three teams play a set in a sort of concert to kick off the school year. The event happens in the Pine Grove (weather permitting) and is a time of Hope students and faculty getting together to praise, dance, and be in community with one another.
Campus Ministries Night Out (September 6)
Women’s and Men’s Night Out also happens near the beginning of the school year. Campus Ministries provides transportation to and from Camp Geneva, and it’s a fun Friday evening of food, community, and encouragement. For incoming freshmen or anyone looking to meet new people, this is a great place to do it. Chaplains speak (often about community and friendship) and there’s also plenty of time to eat, swim, and play yard games.
My freshman year, I met some of my closest friends at Women’s Night Out. My sophomore year, it was the place I connected with a chaplain that ended up consistently walking with me throughout the rest of the school year.
Silent Disco (Sep 13th)
The Student Activities Committee (SAC) at Hope puts on fun, free events for students throughout the school year. They do a coffeehouse with student performers on Thursday nights, Fall Fest and Spring Fling, and many other events. One big event coming up is the Silent Disco, where students all receive headphones and dance to their selected channel out of the songs that SAC is deejaying. My favorite part of Silent Disco is trying to figure out who is listening to the same song as you and who isn’t– all based on how they’re dancing. Last year, it took place outside in the Pine Grove and the year before it was in the Bultman Student Center. I would recommend Silent Disco for anyone who loves a carefree dance party every now and then!
These are only three of the countless events that will take place this fall at Hope. Whether you’re a new student or someone returning, I would recommend checking them out!