Around the same time that I began my studies at Redeemer, Steve Dykstra began his role as Community Development Coordinator. In this role, Steve has worked hard to connect students with volunteer opportunities in the city while also developing a Community Service-Learning program at Redeemer. This program aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn experientially by integrating community service with academic learning. As I became more involved in the leadership of Redeemer service activities, Steve was always available to help me reflect on how and why we serve. Furthermore, he challenged me to think differently and wrestle with the implications of service to the poor. Steve lives downtown with his wife and his baby boy Samuel, and as I fell more and more in love with the city of Hamilton (yes, it’s possible!), he served as an example of living intentionally in all areas of life.
Prior to beginning my studies at Redeemer, I spent 6 months serving a church community in the urban metropolis of Manila, in the Philippines. Coming out of this experience and entering an academic community, finding ways to serve the poor and finding opportunities to pursue justice were priorities. Thankfully, I found myself in a community filled with people with similar passions, and opportunities to serve were not hard to find. I soon found myself being mentored and encouraged in my endeavours by a Redeemer staff member.
Around the same time that I began my studies at Redeemer, Steve Dykstra began his role as Community Development Coordinator. In this role, Steve has worked hard to connect students with volunteer opportunities in the city while also developing a Community Service-Learning program at Redeemer. This program aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn experientially by integrating community service with academic learning. As I became more involved in the leadership of Redeemer service activities, Steve was always available to help me reflect on how and why we serve. Furthermore, he challenged me to think differently and wrestle with the implications of service to the poor. Steve lives downtown with his wife and his baby boy Samuel, and as I fell more and more in love with the city of Hamilton (yes, it’s possible!), he served as an example of living intentionally in all areas of life.
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You probably know that going into first year with a little bit of fear is inevitable. Maybe you’ll be moving to a new city, into a new community, or maybe just away from the comfort of the home you grew up in. But you probably also know that beginning post-secondary education is exciting and opens up so many new opportunities.
You’ve heard it all before: university is a time to make new friends, a time to learn (even if it is just how to cook for yourself) and a time to experience life in ways you never thought were possible. But university is also a time of transition, a time of unknowns, and a time that will challenge and stretch your faith – and let me tell you… this is the stuff I underestimated. The aspect of my first year experience that taught me these things the most was dorm life. It might be easy enough to read up on the classes you might be taking and the professors you’ll have and maybe even the orientation events you’ll be participating in as a first year student at Redeemer, but it might not be so easy to prepare for dorm life (trust me, preparing for this requires a little more than stalking your new housemates on Facebook).
How many universities do you know that will pretty much stop and gather together to devote an hour for worship each week? Redeemer understands how stressful university life can be for students with readings, papers, etc… We have to do the work, but at the same time we must humble ourselves and listen to He who is above all. Chapel is offered once a week – every Wednesday at 11 AM – where the president, staff, faculty, and students are all equal under God our heavenly Father; it is beautiful to see over 50 Christian denominations come together and worship the One True God, the Alpha and Omega. Chapel consists of a worship team – predominantly made up of students and our chaplains of course. These 50 minutes is a time not only of prayer, songs, and reflection of the Word of God, but it is also a time to unwind and unload from the busyness of university life – to be at rest in the Fathers arms. A cell phone can’t go for a long time on one charge, can it? So it is the same with you and I; we can’t go for long on one charge, we need to plug ourselves to that Life source and get a energy boost, this one is closer then Starbucks and its FREE lol… One of my favorite songs we sign is called “My Friends May you Grow in Grace” (I get choked up even watching it on youtube lol). Here at Redeemer we are more than a university, there is always something new that we find that makes Redeemer home away from home – chapel is one of those things. Smooth hair? Check. Big smile? Check. Flawless makeup? Check? Fresh piece of gum? Check. Please tell me that I was not the only one with this checklist running through my head during the first week of university! Coming in as a first year student, first impressions were a huge deal to me. Here I was, a young 17 year old entering a school where the older students were probably all best friends, and all the incoming students would be, in my mind, pretty, popular, and bubbly. Looking back now, with a year under my belt, I don’t know how I was so short-sighted in my thinking. I’ve always known it was wrong to base friendships on superficial characteristics, but that’s the low expectation that I was shrinking down to meet. I was expecting people to judge me in the shallow way that I knew would not lead to lasting friendships. After the first month or two passed, I would reminisce with my friends about LAUNCH week, and to be honest, I didn’t really remember many of the people I had met back then. Don’t get me wrong- I loved LAUNCH! But it was a busy time, and all the new people I met would get lost in the jumble of information in my mind. It was at this time that I realized that my expectations about first impressions were wrong, especially at a school like Redeemer. If you haven’t discovered it by now, you will soon realize what a great community Redeemer is. The dorms, small class sizes, and many activities quickly turns a group of strangers into one big family. And as you know with your own family, you can’t stay hidden behind a mask for long- they really get to know you. So those once-important first impressions will fade to the background as the real you is revealed. Sure, you may have some ugly parts (don’t we all?), but the real you will come shining through with all of your uniqueness that is just waiting to be treasured. After a few weeks of school, I could see my dorm mates starting to hang out with people that weren’t from our dorm. I started to panic, thinking I would be a loner and never make friends of my own. But of course, as the year progressed, I did make friends, and I’m sure I have many more to make over the next three years. Based off of my own experience, here are some tips to “get out there” and make some new friends: 1. Take advantage of social opportunities. Redeemer offers many ways to get to know people, whether it’s a club, sports team, small group, dorm dinner, or just going over to a random dorm to meet people. And the great thing about going to a small school is that you’re bound to run in to people that you’ve just met in the hall and in your classes. 2. Pray for them. Friends are a gift from God- ask Him for some! And when you do start forming friendships, take advantage of any opportunity to pray with them, whether they’ve lost their student card, are worried for a test, or are having family struggles. I know that this has given me a unique bond with some of my friends. 3. Be Patient. University life is a huge adjustment, and it could take a few days to a few months to feel completely comfortable being yourself again. Relax, don’t worry, and focus on being a friend whenever an opportunity arises. Hope this has helped, and I look forward to meeting you all soon! |
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Sarah-Ann is in her fourth year, studying French and English. She'll be studying in France this year and returning to the Writing Centre next year. Author
Justin is a Sociology/Social Work Major going into his fourth year at Redeemer. Author
John is a third year health sciences major and helps lead Redeemers Health Care Club. Author Amanda is a third year social work major and a psychology minor and active participant in the Deedz program.
September 2014
CategoriesAuthor Sharon is an Honours Religion and Theology & Social Work double major going into her fourth year at Redeemer and has been involved in LAUNCH as a LAUNCH leader, an R.A, and a Mission Control member.
September 2014
Author Stephanie is the Assistant Orientation Coordinator and an Honours English Major going into her fourth year at Redeemer.
September 2014
CategoriesAuthor Danica is an Honours Physical Education Major with a Minor in Religion and Theology and is in the P/J division of the Concurrent Education program going into her fourth year at Redeemer. She will be leading Student Senate as the President for the 2013-2014 academic year.
September 2014
CategoriesAuthor Amanda is a third year social work major and a psychology minor and active participant in the Deedz program.
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