This afternoon I completed my last final exam of my junior year of college. It's done.
It's been a quiet year on the blog, but it has been an absolute blast.
When I came to college freshman year, it was like I'd arrived at summer camp. New experiences, new people, and always something fun going on. Then, sophomore year, being an RA honestly put a bit of a damper on things. It was a good job for a year—very helpful financially—but it made it difficult to stay connected to friends most of the time.
This year it was like going back to freshman year, except with more responsibility and deeper relationships.
It's been a quiet year on the blog, but it has been an absolute blast.
When I came to college freshman year, it was like I'd arrived at summer camp. New experiences, new people, and always something fun going on. Then, sophomore year, being an RA honestly put a bit of a damper on things. It was a good job for a year—very helpful financially—but it made it difficult to stay connected to friends most of the time.
This year it was like going back to freshman year, except with more responsibility and deeper relationships.
Our conveniently placed Christmas tree.
Perhaps the biggest factor that contributed to this was living with friends off campus. Our three bedroom apartment was populated by five top-notch dudes, and there were another six guys next door, which made for a year full of laughter, fun, and significant relationships.
Living with Christian guys built in an incredible source of support and growth for me this year. Having spiritual conversations on a casual basis was simply a source of profound comfort and joy.
Living with Christian guys built in an incredible source of support and growth for me this year. Having spiritual conversations on a casual basis was simply a source of profound comfort and joy.
Yet perhaps the most important aspect of this school year for me was my involvement in Catalyst, the college ministry I serve in. After a year of stagnation as a ministry last year, this year I witnessed incredible growth at Catalyst. Our numbers grew (from about 25 in average weekly attendance to around 40), and more importantly, the amount of fruit born from the ministry exploded this year. Many people either came to faith for the first time or resumed being part of Christian community after years of isolation. The number of people involved in leadership next year will be double what we had this year. People are excited for what God is doing in and through Catalyst, and they want to be a part of it.
Next year, after three years of meeting on Monday nights at the church Catalyst is connected with, we will be moving to meet on campus, where we expect to reach many more people due to increased accessibility.
All very exciting stuff. Some may wonder about my scholastic endeavors, and those have been good this year too. Most of my learning was more directly applicable to working life than in years past, and I have continued to love school. Although honestly I feel like I've kind of figured out the game. I find much more challenge and opportunity for growth in my extracurricular activities these days than I do in the classroom.
So that's the three minute version of my story this year.
So that's the three minute version of my story this year.
On Thursday I start an internship that will keep me in Davis for the summer. I'll be working in the marketing department of a consulting company in Sacramento doing very interesting work, and I'm really stoked to see what it feels like to work full time and figure out how to balance rest with work in that type of lifestyle arrangement—which I'll presumably be facing for a long time a year from now.
That's the update for this year. I think it's worthy of the title “best year of my life so far”. I don't plan on it being the last year that earns that title.
That's the update for this year. I think it's worthy of the title “best year of my life so far”. I don't plan on it being the last year that earns that title.