This summer, I jumped at any chance to drive the hour and ten minutes to Holland from my hometown. I love Holland. I love the drive to get here, blasting Taylor Swift with the windows down. I love the glistening lake, the picturesque downtown, and of course the campus nestled nearby. Here are five of …
Tag Archives: Holland
My Best Advice to an Incoming Freshman from a Hope College Senior
From a Hope College Senior writing to an incoming Freshman, this is my best advice for you: Fight the urge to compare yourself to other freshmen. Every upperclassman I know can recall a moment when they called their mom on the phone and said or felt some version of, “It just feels like everyone else …
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The Reality of Campus Visits
I love Anchor Days–the sea of visiting students who can’t quite figure out the least awkward way to hold their bright orange folders and the parents buzzing with excitement, pride, and nostalgia, all while simultaneously feeling directionally challenged and overstimulated. I love visit days, not just because of the extra energy at chapel or the …
Living Away From Home
In my four years at Hope, I have met only a handful of people that are more obsessed with their hometown than I am. I’ve been more and more aware lately of how early in my first conversation with someone I tell them, “I’m from Petoskey!” The love I have for the little laketown I …
From Lagos, Nigeria, to Holland, Michigan
One of my biggest concerns when moving to the United States for college had to do with living in Holland, Michigan. As an individual from the largest city in Africa with over 20 million people, I was a bit worried about the change of pace and context that I would encounter during college. This difference, …
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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 …
Transformation at a College Level
How have I changed as a person due to the college that I chose? Have I been transformed at all? What is transformation? Tackle the Big Question Have I changed at all? Without any self-reflection I would have said “no.” I might have laughed too. Similar to high school, I am who I am and …
Senior Experiences
Whenever I see visiting students walking around campus or in chapel, I always make an effort to welcome them or help them with directions, etc. I remember my visit days oh too well–trying to mask how freaked out I was, unsure about how to hold the massive orange folder on my campus tour, and sitting …
There’s Nothing Like Setting Foot on a Campus
Reasons to Visit a College “Why do I need to visit a college when I can do all my research online and get virtual tours?” A valid question, yet, I can promise everyone with this idea that there is absolutely nothing like setting a foot onto a campus sidewalk. Engaging with students enrolled and shaking …
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Transformed By Hope
As I approach my last semester at Hope College, I have spent more and more time thinking about my experiences at Hope, what I’ve learned in my classes, and what I’ve learned about life. The other day I was at chapel and the speaker said, “Guys, I don’t know if you’ve realized this, but college …