But when Sunday rolled around, I panicked!  Where was I supposed to go? How would I get there? What time does church start?  Would the people accept me?

Fortunately my roommate’s older sister had a car and was a junior so she had experience with the area churches.  Great, I felt safe again.  But then I realized that if I wanted to find a church that I really liked I would need to take some more time and start visiting different churches.

So, I spend most Sunday’s during first semester branching out and variably went to six Mennonite churches including Zion, Lindale, Weaver’s, Community, Immanuel and The Table.  Then when I came back from Christmas Break I realized that I missed some of the people at certain churches and the messages that they shared.  So I started to mainly attend Zion and Weaver’s churches.

I think that it is important to find the church that you enjoy, feel accepted in, and challenges you to think about your faith in new ways.  I also think that it is important to find a church that you like and do not just attend because your friends or family attend there.  It is really nice to have that stability when you are away from the life that you were previously accustomed to.

So, put some thought into finding a church while at college; it is helpful to get involved in a faith-based community that will support and encourage you.

There is an opportunity for people who enjoy taking part in service trips to go on one with a team from EMU. They are called Spring Break Y-trips! This year there were 4 different teams that went a variety of places.

There was a team in Florida that helped out at a camp, a team in Georgia who worked with refugees, a team that went to Delaware and worked with an after school group and a team that went to Alabama to work with MDS. (Mennonite Disaster Service)

I chose to go work with MDS in Mobile, Alabama. I was a bit apprehensive about going at first because I did not know many people in my team prior to the trip. However, that turned out to not be a problem at all! My team clicked really well (as did all the other teams as far as I know) and we had tons of fun playing card games, and laughing together. Working with MDS was interesting too.

My EMU team was split into work crews and my crew went to work at a new house that needed to be painted. So…I painted…and painted… and painted until the entire inside of the house was completed with 1^st and 2^nd coats!

Now, you might not think that to be an ideal way to spend your break…by working, but it was actually very relaxing. It did not take much concentration, no critical thinking, and I was able to communicate as I wished with the others around me. It also provided me with immense satisfaction at seeing the work completed and it was very interesting to hear the stories of the owner’s of the house.

Most of the damage that the work crews were repairing was stuff that had been caused by Hurricane Katrina 2 years ago. These people were still in great need of our help and if felt wonderful to be able to provide that for them.

So, if you are looking for a service-oriented, cheap, fun way to get away from the school atmosphere over spring break, you might consider the y-trips. Not only does it provide you with a chance to meet people from EMU that you wouldn’t normally have encountered on campus, but you can make a difference in the people whose lives you touch over that week. I found it to be an incredibly valuable experience!

As Mennonites, the reason for applying to be a conscientious objector is because of our faith and the moral principle that violence and war can and should be peacefully resolved. The thought in no way entered my mind that one could apply to be a conscientious objector (CO) after participating and being trained in the army. This was partly because the way my church explained the topic to my youth group. They simply stressed the reasons WHY we are conscientious objectors, and that it is the RIGHT thing to do if you are a true Mennonite; it was a very exclusive view.

But, becoming a CO doesn’t always have to stem from religious thoughts and backgrounds.

As part of a chapel series on campus a couple of volunteers from the Military Counseling Network(MCN) came and gave a presentation on how they work with men enlisted in the armed forces to consider other options. Many times this includes offering information on their rights, understanding and interpreting regulations, helping with legal issues, or just providing someone to talk to about their troubles. Of course, one of the options of getting out of the army is to apply for Conscientious Objector status. However, this a very LONG and COMPLICATED process, and one that only has a 45% success rate. The process includes:

• writing a 15-20 page essay on exactly when/how/and why your thoughts changed about war
• an intimidating interview by an army chaplain and commanding officer on a NEW FOUND belief
• having a commanding officer write a proposal either recommending the GI for or against CO status
• sending the application through the chain of command until it makes its way back the U.S.
• sending it to the GI’s relevant state for a military board review

In theory, this process should take about 9 months but the chances of that happening are very slim. (ie: armed forces + bureaucracy= red tape/slow) During this time of review, the GI is still in the army although they are not supposed to be given a duty which conflicts with their beliefs. They are also surrounded by army personnel who obviously do not agree with their choices, the pressure of strict regulations, the consequences of training and their own conscience.

So you see, becoming a CO can’t be an easy decision. It can be influenced by much more than a religious background including experiences, morals, beliefs, emotions, and psychological influences. I encourage those of you who read this journal to think about the roots of your beliefs and to extend those thoughts in different or unique directions to get a better understanding of other opinions or views and the people who hold them.

Yes, you will have to take a certain amount of Gen. Eds. and specific courses for you major, but you may not realize that you will also need to take some electives.  The electives can include other areas of interest that don’t necessarily coincide with your major, or they can simply be a fun class … like a gym class!

Now I know you are all excited because in college you are not required to take a physical education course and you may be thinking “I’m finally free”!  But, remember that you can choose (respectively) when you take your classes during the day.  You can make it so that you won’t have to be feeling sweaty and gross in your classes for the rest of the day.  You don’t have to be rushed and you can choose which games/sport you wish to participate in. Here are some of your options:

Swimming, Volleyball, Lifeguarding, Badminton/Tennis, Racquetball/Table Tennis, Weight Training/Fitness, Skiing/Snowboarding, Rock Climbing, Bowling, Golf…

Keep in mind that if you have a tough course load and want an easy way to let off stress, and get credit for it, taking a Phys. Ed. Class is a great way to do it!  Plus, if you aren’t involved in any collegiate sports or intramurals, this is a chance to get you on your feet and moving.  Many of these courses provide you with an excellent cardiovascular workout which helps to keep you healthy and fit.

Of course, there is limited outside of class work as well…which is a nice bonus!  Think about it … you might actually enjoy it!

He asks questions and imparts little bits of wisdom to his reader’s like:

“Is Jesus the Son of God, are we being held captive in a world run by Satan, a world filled with brokenness, and do I believe Jesus can rescue me from this condition?”

And…
“I started to sin about the time I turned ten…Girls begin to sin when they are twenty three or something…”

And…
“I think that if you like somebody you should tell them….however, you should not keep telling a girl that you like her after she tells you she isn’t into it.  You should not keep riding your bike past her house either.”

And…
“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve.  But sometimes you have to watch somebody love something because before you can love it yourself…I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve.”

And…
“Racism is a minor problem.”

Now, after reading the thought provoking and entertaining book, I get to go see a live production based on the book. The best thing is that it is here on campus and free for EMU students!  Of course, I don’t agree with everything that Donald Miller says or questions, but he often provides me with new ways of looking at Christianity, and is able to bring a different perspective to the table because of his personal experiences and struggles.

As an added bonus, to book is entertaining because Miller is very adept at inserting dry humor into his writing.  Some of my favorite chapter titles include, Faith: Penguin Sex, Community: Living with Freaks, and Magic: The Problem with Romeo.

• campus tour
• a personal meeting with an admissions counselor
• choosing to attend a class of your choice
• meeting with a professor
• overnight stay in the dorm
• free admission to any sporting events or theater productions
• coupons for Common Grounds (campus coffee shop)
• see a newly released movie for $1.50 (only on weekends)
• late night excursions for yummy food with your host/ host’s roommate or friend

This is often a fun time to meet people before coming to college, and to see if EMU has what you are looking for in a college.  It is perfectly OK if you visit and then decide that you do not want to come here for your college education.

We are happy that you considered us and that you are examining your options.  But, we truly do enjoy having people come to see EMU and getting a little taste of the “college experience”!

Of course, the process is not as easy as one might think.  You have to find the time to sit down and look at what classes you need to take that are required for your major/interest and what classes needed for you to graduate.  Then, you have to make sure that the classes you want to take do not happen to be scheduled for the same day at the same period.

Then, you have to meet with your advisor to see what they think about your plans, and finally you can take it to the registrar’s office to finalize your decisions.  However, there is this little thing called hierarchy at EMU and every other college campus in the United States.  First the seniors get to register, then the juniors, then the sophomores, and finally the freshman.  Now, this might not seem too bad, it might even seem fair!

What you may not realize is that class size is limited for some courses which means that by the time the freshman are allowed to register some of  the courses that you are planning to take have already been filled.  The Registrar’s Office opens for registration at 8:30 in the morning.  You know what this means!!!!!!!!

A mad rush to drag yourself out of bed at 6:45-7:00am so you can get some breakfast and then run to the campus center to get in line by 7:30.  Or, for people like me who have 8:00am classes in which the teacher just happened to schedule an Exam for that day, you don’t have the option of getting in line early.  But, don’t be too discouraged.

There are plenty of classes to take and often the same class is offered at a different time during the day so you may only have to switch the period you take class, and not have to go find a completely new one. Although it may seem like the system is against you, it is necessary to realize that this happens to every freshman who ever goes to college for 2 semesters.

You will survive!

Now, you might be wondering why on earth would anybody want do this!  We do it to show our support for refugees in other countries that are forced to sleep outside with no shelter on a daily basis.

Many times, a short Bible study/informative session is included before bedding down for the night. The students are encouraged to spend some time in prayer for the refugees as well.

This may seem like a fun activity to do with your friends during the beginning of fall and in the spring, but when it starts to get cold, it does become a little more challenging, and maybe not quite so enjoyable.  Make sure you bundle up and wear layers!

Now, I get to see first hand what that includes!

If you decide to attend EMU, you will learn that one of the requirements for graduating includes going on a Cross Cultural.  I think that this is really exciting because it seems like people are always coming to the United States, but we don’t go anywhere.

Through the program you can go to all regions of the world, including South America, Spain, the Middle East, India, New Zealand, and South Africa (plus many others).  If you are not inclined to travel out of the country, then you also have the option of going to Washington, DC through the Washington Community Scholars Center.

This includes living in a community house close to downtown Washington, DC and doing an internship with a local organization.  However, there are also many fun activities on campus.  Campus Activities Council (CAC) plans events like movies, dances, Fall Festival (which includes carving pumpkins!), King and Queen Contest, Mission Impossible Games, and much more.  Also, random opportunities come up in your classes too.

Recently, the American Popular Music class learned about the styles of dancing that were popular during the 50’s and 60’s which happens to include Swing Dancing!  So, just for fun, the class invited an instructor to come and teach them a few steps (for FREE) and the invitation was opened to any student on campus who wanted to learn as well.

I went and had a blast!  (I also learned that you can take lessons for only $5 in downtown Harrisonburg)  I  greatly encourage involvement in activities like these. They lift your spirits, you get to meet interesting people, learn something new and original, and have GINORMOUS amounts of fun at the same time!!!

This wonderful combination means extra reading and quizzes in an effort to get the students ready for the mid-terms test.  Of course, this leads to the students becoming completely and totally academically stressed out and going on emotional overload just before they can go home and leave it all behind.

So they think.

What you might not realize is that you never really get away from college, and even when you are home you realize that you miss your friends from college and wish that you could go back!  But then again, maybe that’s good, it means that you have made some strong connections and have meaningful relationships with friends.

I have found that it is a never ending cycle.  You can’t wait to get home (and take great lengths to get here) but all of a sudden you miss your dorm room (even though it is the size of your parent’s walk-in closet), your roommate, your friends, intramurals, free access to your friend’s movies, and quite possibly a professor or two!

However, now that I think about it, there IS something that I will always be happy to leave behind … the cafeteria food!