Well, I went home again this weekend for my little sister’s homecoming. She wanted me to do her hair and I was happy to help. Here’s a beach shot just before we dropped her off at the dance:
I drove up with my friend Marvin, who went to my high school. As we began our drive north, we naturally fell into talking about our first few weeks and experiences at Hope. We agreed that it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. But where would our lives be without Hope? As we can never know, we put the question aside, and I didn’t think about it any further.
Upon arriving home in a downpour, I reached for my house key and, with ease, waltzed into my warm and cozy house. Keys, in college particularly, are quite important. There are Chemistry keys (as in a paper key) that let you discover the stupid mistakes you made on yesterday’s test, lab keys to let you keep experiments in a constant and locked area, PO box keys that allow you to pick up mail from all of your friends, room keys that let you in when your roomie isn’t around, the list goes on and on. But generally, keys let you move past a boundary or a barrier to access something you desire.
My thoughts flashed back to the car conversation: Wasn’t making the decision to come to Hope kind of like my key? Coming to Holland to study at a private college with roughly 3200 students was the most influential and powerful key I have ever used. It has allowed me to move past myself and the preconceived ideas I so often held close to me. I overcame my weaknesses and now, together with 847 other freshman, I’m beginning to make more decisions that will change my life and mold who I want to be.
The alumni, professors, and current students have taught me that Hope College is the key that will allow me to move courageously into an unknown world, and most importantly into the lives of others.
I’m so excited, because for most of you reading this it’s time to find and choose the key you think will open the doors in your life.
Good luck!! You can do it!
Okay, I’m done with sappy posts about how much I love Hope! I’ll concentrate more on WHY and HOW I love Hope, I promise.
-More later!
A
P.S. I’m waiting in line at the Knick for the Mat Kearney concert put on by the Hope college concert series. We got here at 4pm and we’re 12th in line!! The doors open at 7:30pm. It should be an awesome concert! Did I mention that tickets were only $15 and we just heard Mat’s soundcheck??!
