The Perfect Balance

When I first came to Redeemer, one of the things I was looking forward to the most was the socializing. I had been talking to my dorm over facebook for about a month, and I was so excited to meet them! Then my RA introduced us to dorm dinners. Having people over and showing off your cooking skills (or lack thereof) followed by group games is always a blast. Then there are the monthly activities such as Hot Spot, Coffee House, Church in the Box, and the Junction. These activities are a perfect opportunity to escape from homework and hang out with friends. Another part of Redeemer socialization is the times when you get to chill with friends and just do whatever. So far this year, I’ve gone skating on Redeemer’s outdoor ice rink, been to the movies, had girl nights with my dormies, and planned game nights with other dorms.

Usually these nights of socialization last until midnight or later. This can cause a problem when it comes to school work. Take last night for example. I went skating with girls from my dorm and one of our friends, and we didn’t get back until midnight. Then I realized that I needed to study for my French test, write this blog, and get some sleep. Who would’ve thought I’d end up in this position? At the beginning of the school year, I rarely left my dorm because I always had some “homework” that needed to be done. Now, I’m finding it hard to get back into the routine of school. Socializing is so much more fun than studying French vocab and sleeping.

So, how do you find the perfect balance between school and a social life? Basically, you need to figure out how long it takes you to do homework assignments, readings, and studying. Then you can plan your social life around that. When you start your planning, you need to take into account the seasons of the semester: midterms, papers, and exams. Usually the first month of each semester is pretty slack on large homework assignments and tests. This is the best time to do your socializing. Once the midterm and paper season hits in the second and third month, you need to make sure you have your priorities straight (ie. School before socializing). Then depending on your confidence in your courses and depending on your exam schedule, exam time can be a good time for socializing. I found that talking with friends was one of the best kinds of study breaks. (Just make sure you study enough to do well on your exams). The moral of the story is: socializing at Redeemer is great, but schoolwork is also very important. Each person’s balance between the two is different, and it takes time to make it perfect. But once you do, life will be a lot less stressful.

Bursting with Excitement

Only three weeks of school, four days of class, a couple presentations and papers and for most, four or five exams left. It must be the end of the year!

Redeemer has been bursting with excitement for the past couple of days. Final events are taking place, committee activities are coming to an end, faculty are trying to squeeze everything that they need to cover into the last few classes, and students are cramming to get everything accomplished on time. And yet, despite the busyness of the last couple weeks of the semester, coffee house on Thursday night was a real hit. There were a lot of funny comedy acts, some really talented singing acts, and some dancing and other fun skits. Not to mention, the Commons area was full!

The last few weeks of school are always exciting – students feel as though they have accomplished much over the year, and are excited for what the summer holds. The weather has been beautiful, and students have been making use of their porches, barbeques and access to campus and athletic equipment, including the tennis and basketball courts. The excitement and hope for the near future is clear!

I even encountered some people playing guitar or ukulele or some stringed instrument outside at around 11:30 at night, one night this week. While this may surprise you, once you have encountered Redeemer for a couple of months, nothing surprises you anymore. Students are free to express themselves in many ways, and believe me, they sure do! This is evident in the classroom, around campus, at all hours of the day and night, and whenever you find the time to really look around!

I also experienced a whole section of the school this week that I never even knew existed. A friend and I do devotions 3-4 times a week together at around 11:00 at night, and one night, she suggested that we go to a prayer room at the school. Little did I know, we actually have rooms at the school just for praying! I was absolutely amazed and am certain that I will making use of those rooms more often for the remaining three weeks of the year, and of course in my next couple of years at Redeemer.

Time to get back to those presentations and papers – only three weeks to go! Keep plugging away at it!

Redeemer: Need I Say More?

Flip flops and tank tops, basketballs and volleyballs, the bright sun shining, laughter and smiles, rollerblading and biking, running and walking, sun-tanning, and of course, a few classes here and there. These are just a few of the activities that I have seen occurring numerous times over the past week on Redeemer campus.

Once spring hits, you can be sure that more on-campus students will be outside than inside. The beautiful weather this week really provided a good break in the midst of a crazy semester. Only one month of classes to go! Feelings of pressure to do well in classes and tensions regarding summer jobs are high, and in some cases, the emotional rollercoaster has reached top speed. Of course, it is times like these that God uses to open up the door for new experiences, for pressures to be relieved, and for tensions to be calmed. For me, and for a lot of other people I’m sure, the bright and shining sun this week provided both intense relaxation and an opportunity to revel in God’s wonder and majesty in the middle of a hectic day, week, and month.

I also attended Coffee House this Thursday night. Whenever I attend one of these, I am amazed at the different acts that Redeemer students perform. A little Avril Lavigne, a skit regarding Campus Visit Days at Redeemer, some comedy here and there, a video competition, and of course, some more comedy. What also struck me this time was the openness of one particular student. One student shared a song that he had written for his older brother who passed away suddenly in December. His song spoke of hope, renewal, and truth. As he sang, tears were flowing freely from many people’s eyes, and hearts were being opened to the power of God. One student, who has experienced heart-wrenching pain at the loss of his brother, has taken all that he has learned and used it to bless his fellow students.

That is what is so unique about both Coffee House and Redeemer in general. We have so much opportunity here. We have so much freedom to share our experiences, to talk with others about hard situations we are facing or burdens we are carrying. We have been blessed in that our community has grown closer and closer over the years, and I am positive that God’s love is evident in our school, on our campus, and in the hearts of the students, staff and faculty that attend or work at Redeemer. There is no doubt in my mind that Redeemer is a powerful place and that God truly is at work here.