Springtime in Holland

Springtime in Holland is like no other.  Don’t get me wrong, I love coming back to school in the fall, and the first snow is absolutely magical.  Still, there’s just something about the first few warm days on campus that have a special air to them. Here are my top five aspects of springtime in …

Navigating the journey of living away from home

With the seemingly dark, dreary, and cold days of ‘swinter’ (spring + winter) amid this point in the semester when days feel longer, mid-winter break is over, and the heap of homework, projects, and exams seemingly competes in height with that of Mount Rushmore, feelings of homesickness inevitably creep in. Especially as a first-year student, …

3 Things I Wish I’d Known About Living Away from Home

Before coming to Hope, I knew that living on campus would be a huge part of my college experience but I didn’t know what this entailed. My understanding of living away from home came from Gilmore Girls. If you’re familiar with the show, you know that Rory’s mom Lorelai comes and sleeps over on her …

Hope’s Collaborative Culture Across Campus

One of my favorite aspects about Hope College is that I am more than just a number on campus – professors and faculty know, value, and care about the students. From the dining hall staff that greet me enthusiastically each morning to the classroom where my professors ask about how my cross country race went …

Can Students Balance a Job?

Well? Can they? Or more specifically; can you, as a student, balance work and school? Yes. You can. It may seem overwhelming. Coming to college and not knowing a lot of people, you are already balancing a lot of stressors. How are you supposed to confidently balance a job? Know Yourself The overall answer here …

A Buzzing Student Life

When you come to college you have high hopes. You want to go out and make new friends, meet people and explore what there is to offer. Where do you begin? Here at Hope there are so many options for engaging in the bustling student life. Student Activities Committee SAC is a student lead committee …

Student Life at Hope

Is there something that you’ve always wanted to try, but have never gotten the chance to? Do you have a hobby that you love? Do you want to spend some time on an activity that isn’t homework? If so, I have excellent news for you. Hope has a ton of ways to get involved on …

Life as a Phelps Scholar

Going into college, I knew I wanted to go beyond the typical experience. I wanted something that challenged my preconceived notions of the world and allowed me to encounter things I’ve never experienced before. That’s why I applied to be a Phelps Scholar. What’s a Phelps Scholar? The Phelps Scholars are a living-learning community for …

Working as a College Student

As an incoming Freshman, I knew I needed to find ways to financially contribute to my tuition and living costs, but I was concerned about how to balance college-level academics, social commitments, and a job simultaneously. As I began to look into part-time employment in Holland and attended an on-campus career fair, I was excited …

Life in Holland

Among the many attributes of Hope’s location that set it apart from other schools in my college search, one particular attribute caught my attention: Hope is exactly 13 minutes from the beach.  And boy, have my friends utilized this asset. From last-minute runs to watch the sunset over Lake Michigan to a quick beach day …