My First Six Weeks as an NU Student
The first few weeks of college are a period of huge transition; trust me on this. As a transfer student, I’ve been “new to campus” twice. Reflecting back on my first college experience and now on my experience as a transfer student at NU, I can tell you with complete confidence that the community of this University is something special.
The foundation for this community is laid in the first six weeks. Coming to NU, I was excited like any new student, but fought feelings of fear and anxiety at the big change that was about to start in my life. However, those first weeks were filled with awesome opportunities to make friends, encounter God, and have experiences outside of my comfort zone. Those programs helped ease my fears and connect me to the community here at NU. With such a wide variety of events during those first few weeks, there is something for everyone. Some of my favorite events were the volleyball and intramural football games, hiking with NU students, the outdoor coffeehouse concert, The Color Run on campus, and bingo night!
For me, it can be intimidating to show up to an event knowing absolutely no one. But I learned that leaning into the opportunities presented in the first six weeks can lead to long-lasting rewards and relationships. For example, I showed up to the hike not knowing a single soul, but when I look back on it now, it was where I met and connected with many amazing friends and experienced something that I might not have otherwise.
At each of the events, I was blown away by how Christ-centered this student body was and how kind everyone was! I believe that on this campus, the words of William Butler Yeats ring true in that “There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.” The opportunities given to students set this school apart and serve to create a thriving, Christian community. The programming put on by the Student Activities Board during the first six weeks made my transition into life at NU an enjoyable one.