Changes, Part II

Happy Sunday, everyone!

My last post focused on the big changes of my life -- changes that have, in turn, changed almost every little detail. (It's always been fascinating to me how one change in life can affect so many other things. If the balance of life can be so drastically shifted by things we would consider insignificant, how much more the direction of life as a whole can be changed. The events of a single day, a single hour, a single moment can affect every day of the rest of a life.) But many of you have texted/e-mailed/messaged me asking for more about the details. So for this post, I'll try to catch you up on the things that have made up my life over the last few weeks.

Of course, PCC (Pensacola Christian College) is different from Hyles-Anderson. Please don't ask me which one I "like better"; there's really no way to compare. And I'm trying to make my life more about what God wants and less about my personal likes and dislikes anyway. :)

A lot of people have wondered if the rules are different. Actually, they are almost identical, much closer than I expected. I was SO impressed by something the president of PCC said in chapel last week: he said that the administration realizes that all of the students come from unique backgrounds, but that all staff and students have chosen to abide by the same rules while on campus. I really appreciate the attitude of care, humility, and helpfulness that so many of the staff have exhibited.

The food at PCC is fantastic! I can choose to eat in Four Winds or the Varsity; Four Winds is "home-style" food while the Varsity serves chicken fingers, pizza, or deli sandwiches. Both have ice cream machines, which I have enjoyed already. There is also an ice cream vending machine a few floors beneath my dorm room, but I have been able to resist temptation on that front so far.

The campus is so clean and beautiful. I've already found myself sitting under a palm tree while waiting for a meeting to start. (Follow me on instagram @saraplayspianotoo for the pic and more of my college life!) I have gotten lost on campus a few times - it's much bigger than I'm used to! 

The bell tower at the center of campus has already become a huge part of my life. It sounds every 15 minutes from 7 in the morning until 11 in the evening. I was almost late to class one morning last week because it didn't go off and I lost track of time without the reminder! There's a bell for everything at PCC - it can get a little annoying, but I do appreciate everything being so punctual.

I'm very happy with my dorm and my roommates. I've been so blessed to have good roommates all through college. I live on the eighth floor of Bradley Tower, and I try to take the stairs rather than the elevator at least once a day. There are piano practice rooms on the ground floor, and I spend so much time there that sometimes I feel that it might save time to just move my mattress down. 

I've been working really hard on assignments, and I have two classes that require me to practice daily (piano and voice), so I've been busy! I have very limited internet access at the college, so I apologize to anyone who has been trying to reach me. I'll continue to blog as much as I can!

Changes

Hi, everybody. I'm starting this post with a sheepish face and a hopeful heart. I know it's been forever - almost a year, to be exact - since I posted here. I'm not even going to go into reasons or excuses, because I have too many other things to talk about. I have limited internet access right now, but I'm hoping to catch y'all up on my life in the next few posts.

So we all know that life changes, especially when one is 20. Change seems to have been my life for the last year. Sometimes, I feel like my whole world has changed - melodramatic, I know, but it's how I feel. That's a lot of why I didn't post for so long - just when I would decide to post, another thing would change. My "college adventures" have become much bigger adventures than I ever could have imagined.

To jump right in, the biggest and most recent change is a change in location! I'm now attending Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida. And "home" isn't Cahokia, Illinois anymore. My "home" is - technically - the house next door to my grandfather's house in Mobile, Alabama, though I've only been in the house once. My family moved to Mobile in early August, but they weren't able to move in to the house until after I left for college. I'm very excited about going home next weekend to see the new house!

Doesn't that kind of remind you of a Christian's home in Heaven? Heaven is already our home; it is paid for and furnished for us, and inhabited by those that we love. However, we haven't seen it yet, and we are not yet able to live there. 

One thing that hasn't changed is my major. I'm studying the same thing, just said a bit differently. Since I'm still meeting new people, I am asked what my major is every single day. If I were to give the full answer, it would be quite a mouthful: "Mathematics Education, second teaching field of Music, keyboard emphasis." Usually, I just say "Math Ed." 

Everyone seems to want to know why I transferred - to make a long story short, PCC is accredited and it's closer to my family's new location. I know that I want to teach; I believe that it is God's will for me to teach one day. My goal right now is to have a degree that will prepare me for wherever He sends me. 

I want to get back to posting regularly, so I'll leave some things to talk about the next time. Right now, I want to close with the statement that God has been very good to me. He is the Constant in any change, the one Friend who has never forsaken me, my Rock when I stand on shifting sand. And I believe that with Him, I have no reason to fear the future. He has never left me, and He will be with me in whatever adventure comes next.

Fall may well be the most beautiful time of year on the campus of Hyles-Anderson College.  The leaves are changing color and falling, creating a beautiful, multicolored canopy for a walk in the crisp air.  It's just cool enough to wear a light jacket or long sleeves.  I can't speak for the other students, but the changing season inspires me to study and learn.

 

I've been out at the football field about once a week to support the Raiders, and especially my favorite player, #64 Ben Huynh.  Both times that he has been able to play, the team has won! 

Classes so far have been amazing.  In several classes, I only wish that I had more time to study the book, ask the teacher more questions, and research on my own.  I'm trying to take the best notes that I can so that maybe I can study more after college. I'm fortunate enough to have a laptop on which I can take notes more quickly than I could write them by hand.

 

I have the privilege of working at the annual Judgment Nights.  Judgment Nights is a walk-through drama put on by Chapel 9, a satellite ministry of First Baptist Church.  The play depicts what life could be like after the Rapture.  I will post pictures of myself in costume and makeup soon, but I warn you, the makeup is very graphic!  (I play a wounded, dying person.)

 

 Life is busy and fast-paced, classes are challenging, (coffee is my best friend!) and Judgment Nights is hard work, but I am enjoying life in the fall at Hyles-Anderson College!

Spirit Week

I do have a valid excuse for not updating my blog recently! The college has been upgrading its internet servers, but in the process, wifi has been very hard to find.  The database that I call from at work is down as well, so we've been calling from computer printouts.  That's cool though, because when we finish our sheets, we get to leave!  I've been leaving work about an hour early every day this week.

 

This has been a very exciting week at the college.  We had Spirit Week, with the classes competing against each other in different games.  I participated in an interesting relay race called the mattress race. In the first round, teams of four guys carry each girl on a mattress across a gym.  In the second round, teams of six girls carry the guys back the other way.  Let's just say it's harder than it looks.  I also managed to lose a shoe in the middle of the gym floor during that race.

 

Next Wednesday, we will find out which team won.  I missed being in classes, especially Linear Algebra, but I did have fun cheering on the Sophomore team.  The best thing about Spirit Week was getting to wear denim all week!  Woo-hoo!  It may be hard to go back to dress clothes next week.

 

On Thursday, my friend Alicia and I went to tryouts for the college's summer tour groups.  I played for two vocalists in two different keys, and I feel confident about my audition.  It's out of my hands now.  I wanted very badly to try out last year, but I wasn't even able to make it to the first audition.  I felt like that was God saying "not yet."  So I'm confident that if He wants me to go this year, it will happen.

Chapel has been phenomenal this year.  The spirit of Hyles-Anderson College has never been something that could be described or explained; it must be experienced.  It could be said this year that the students are cautious, anticipating more adjustments as First Baptist Church moves toward calling a new pastor.  But the spirit is still here!

Back to school

I have arrived at Hyles-Anderson College for my sophomore year!  I still have to stop and think, though, when someone asks me what year I am.  I’ve settled into my dorm room with my three roommates, and I can already tell we’re going to get along.

Yes, I meant to update the blog over the summer.  The problem was that every time I would be ready to write a post about my summer plans, my plans would change!  It’s been a crazy ride, but I’m so thankful to be back here where I belong.

Today and tomorrow is orientation for all students.  This usually means that we sit in the chapel for a few hours and listen to rules and policies.  At least I get to sit with my best friends!

I’ve been reassigned to my old job in Student Recruitment, and I should start working within the week.  I really loved my job last year.  Some of the same friends from last year will be in the office as well; I think it’s going to be really fun!

Freshman Year: Things I Learned

It's really hard to believe that my freshman year of college is nearly over.  Thanks to all my readers!  My sincere apologies for not posting as often as I should have.  I've been trying to post this for three days, but the wi-fi has been weird.

I just wanted to share with you some things I was told about college and how they panned out, as well as some things I've learned in the last two semesters.

They told me that I would gain 15 pounds.  False.  I lost 15 pounds.

They told me that I would "learn the meaning of the word 'hungry'." True.  Unfortunately.  Also learned the meaning of the word "busy."  Yes, I thought I knew the meaning of both in high school.  No, I did not know the meaning of either.

They told me that I would likely have things stolen.  True.  But the worst of it was food and candy.

I wish that someone would have told me to be prepared for the numbers of friends and acquaintances that would leave school over the months.

I've learned that roommates have the potential to be a huge blessing.  Especially when they wear the same size clothing as you do.

I've learned that I can, in fact, find my way around an 8-block by 15-block grid in Chicago.

I've learned that Mrs. Francis, our Dean of Women, really cares about me and my situation.  She's not scary, y'all, and she can really help you out when no one else can!

I've learned that things I "can't do" are more often things that I "can't do yet."

I've learned that the Rice dorm steps are rather steep and that they have handrails for a reason.

I've learned how to operate a Macbook. 

Most of the things I've learned this first year of college were never mentioned in a classroom.  Not to say that I didn't learn in my classes!  But the experiences of bus ministry, tutoring, and living in a dorm and the people I have met have taught me much more.

What are some things you learned your first year of college?

Why I Love Tuesdays

Hey, everyone! I know, I know. It's been too long. I'm sorry, okay? I've been insanely busy.  Forgive me?

To cut straight to the chase, there are two main reasons why I love Tuesdays. The first is the reason I'm able to be posting right now: no 10:00 class!  The open hour has been a time to nap, a time to work on projects, a time to nap, a time to eat breakfast, a time to nap....you get the picture.

The other reason I love Tuesdays is that as soon as I get off of work at 9:00, I meet some friends in a practice room and we just stand around and sing out of the hymn-book for an hour.  We're not practicing to perform, we just sing for fun.  It gets crazy in there sometimes!  I think the general silliness comes from the fact that most of us are sleep deprived from white glove cleaning the night before.

Sometimes the security guards walking by will stop and sing a verse with us.  We've even had staff members drop in a time or two!

I think we love our Tuesday night tradition because we are having a blast while glorifying God. It's not about talent, it's about singing from the heart and having fun.  I love Hyles-Anderson College for being a place where I can meet friends like the ones I have and where things like our Tuesday night singing group can happen.