Baylor or Bust

Well, it's official. I'm at Baylor and I'm slowly starting to settle in. The adjustment has been a good one, mostly because I find myself surrounded by some pretty wonderful people. Texas has taken some getting used to, but I am usually surprised by the friendliness of the people, despite the unpleasant weather and insane semi-drivers.

A quick update of what my life is like here. I am a full-time student, taking three classes: The College Student, Student Services in Higher Education, and Culture and Organizations of Higher Ed. It has been an adjustment to remember what it is like to study and read books for content and not just for fun. I take all my classes in a cohort of 12 people. We will be taking all our classes together for the entire time (20 months) that we are in the program. The group dynamics have been fascinating to watch, andI know that I will be developing some great friendships through this group. I am guessing we will know more about each other than we really want to know by the end of our time, but I am thankful to be thrown into a place where I automatically find community and a group of people with common interests.

The other side of my life here is my graduate assistantship through the university. My official title at Baylor is the graduate assistant for community service in the office of Student Activities. My supervisors are fellow George Fox alumni (go bruins!) and I am enjoying the camaraderie of relating with a few Northwesterners! I am most definitely holding onto my Colorado roots though, although they simply consider it "Texas' playground" and for some reason Colorado has been associated with wraps. (As in the food...apparently they were invented in Colorado or something, I'm not really sure where that comes from) My job is to connect with Baylor undergraduate students and find ways to help them connect with the community of Waco. We have lots of programs to help students do this, which I am trying to get a handle on as the school year continues quickly ahead! I have been amazed by the capacity of our students to serve in the midst of Hurricane Katrina. My inbox has been full of students writing to find ways that they can help out, not only with direct relief efforts, but more importantly with our own community which is hosting several displaced families. It has been a great starting point for me to see the way that our students desire to love and serve others in a time of need.

I have a million more stories to tell, but will have to save them for a later blog. Thanks for taking the time to read through this. I am hoping this blog will provide a good way for me to stay connected with so many people, so far away. Hope to hear from anyone soon!