Tuesday, August 23, 2005

orientation

This weekend has been a fresh, new start for so many. Not just for the freshmen and transfer students who have moved in to start what could be the best 4 years of their lives thus far, but also for me. This weekend, including move-in day and all of the madness of freshmen orientation, has been the culmination of an entire year's worth of work. It's why I'm here. It's the reward.

You can't imagine how exciting it is to see students move in here whom you've met along the way. I remember giving tours to some, sitting down and actually "counseling" some, eating lunches with some, hanging out with some at camps or CIY's, talking to some on the phone, writing or e-mailing with some, and so on... but it's an exhausting excitement. My spirit is energized by seeing everyone here, but physically and mentally I'm exhausted from all that's going on.

We've each led freshmen small groups during orientation, and in the past these have proved to be a failure. They've felt like church camp family groups or d-groups most of the time, and this year wasn't completely different. But we didn't just sit around and discuss. Instead we had "The Amazing Race" on Sat. night w/ our group and some other games (including 4-square, which I hadn't ever played until then) on Sunday afternoon, and service projects yesterday. Our group instantly bonded in The Amazing Race as we ran across campus to get our clues, were sweating all over each other in the cheesy-as-ever-but-still-good-team-building "Human Knot", and as we ran screaming "No man left behind!!!" to make sure we all stuck together. I love my group. These freshmen are awesome.

It just takes me back to when I was a freshman, which seems like soooo many years ago. Melissa and I moved into our room, Rachel was across the hall, and we were each nervous and excited the first day. We met Allison, who was sitting at her computer by herself in her room next door to us, and later we met Steph and her crazy roommate from upstairs. Steph, Alli, Rachel, Missy, and I started hanging out all the time on the tennis courts at night, looking up at the stars and laughing till it was curfew time. I remember how loud and obnoxious we must have been to everyone else. I remember taking the ol' Bible Knowledge Exam and freaking out. I remember getting an orientation "crush" on someone whom I still now know, and I can tell you exactly where we were sitting in the Chapel that night when we met (and probably even what he was wearing). I remember going to Dairy Queen later that night w/ the girls and that boy and another boy from the Hole, and that's the night Rachel named my car Snaggy Magoo. I remember meeting certain people who would just walk right up and introduce themselves, and it was overwhelming b/c I knew I'd forget their names! I remember finally getting the wishbook and looking through to memorize names and faces of all the upperclassmen and other freshmen. I remember Steph saying something to me about my clothing one time b/c I was wearing a spaghetti strap tank top and shorts, and apparently I didn't think that was immodest attire. (I realized later on that it wasn't really appropriate at LCC, but I had no idea.) I remember crazy Megan Snyder who was on our floor and who pretty much brought upon us endless unnecessary stress and chaos. I remember going dancing at Rocky's in Bloomington (yuck) and feeling like we were in trouble from our dorm mom b/c we weren't supposed to be going. I remember thinking I would never be friends w/ all the Lincoln girls who were prof's daughters, even though now I'm really good friends w/ Lindsay Clark (Jones) and Ashleigh Mauhar (Ray). I remember lots of good things, funny things, bad things, things I wish I hadn't done, things I wish could still be going on.

Oh, the memories of freshman year. I miss it, but I don't. I'm glad to be where I am now and to see these new faces come into the newness I once experienced here. It's a new start, and that's what I remember being most exciting about coming to LCC. It's a beginning. And I'm excited to see the end results...which isn't their graduation, but the ministry that happens while they're here and far beyond their days here. Sounds cheesy, I know. But really this whole place is just their orientation to life, isn't it?

12 comments:

Shelly said...

good memories mandy...but i remember when you started lincoln..it made me feel like i was ancient...you were just supposed to stay like 12 forever...i remember when you used to come to lcc and visit....
aw..good times..love ya

Anonymous said...

You didn't do well on the Bible knowledge exam our freshman year? That was cake!

Just kidding. Really, though, I didn't have to take it when I left Lincoln because I passed it the first time.

By the way, do you remember when we were "too cooooool?" Oh geesh. That was too bad.

Melissa

Mandy said...

shells- i know, i miss visiting you and sleeping w/ like 18 people in your dorm room w/ the bolster beds!

missy- asd;flkjaweproiaweh;lkj i totally forgot about being "tooo coooooo!" we had to be soooo annoying to everyone. that along w/ the handing out of gold stars all the time. thanks to rachel for passing on her sarcasm!

oh, and the bible knowledge exam? i'm embarrassed to even admit that i had a horrible score on my way out as a senior. i won't even tell you what it was. AWFUL.

Adam said...

Yeah I don't know if you remember what your group's name was. Goof Troup. I don't know if I ever said. Thank Lawrence for that one.

Yeah I remember you guys coming over to the hole for the very first time, acctually the more I think about it I can almost remember what we talked about, weird. The thing that stuck out most is, I hope this DeWitt girl goes away.

Brad and Lindy said...

I remember Adam most for his kind thoughts and words. JK...

I do miss some things about those days and there are things I don't miss. Guess that is part of life and it's where we go, who we meet, that helps where we end up.

And there is always the epiphany...why didn't I ever know (fill in name here) or hang out with (insert same name) while I was at school? I'm just glad we can all connect now.

Mandy said...

matty j!!! so good to see you on here! i'll have to check out your blog! yeah nate just said something the other day about how ya'll skipped to go see slingshot that year! i can't believe it! (actually yes i can)

lindy-it's so funny how often i do that whole "i wish ______ and i would have hung out more in school" thing all the time.

adam-you probably get credit for dealing w/ half of our craziness freshmen year. we were always hanging out w/ you and lawrence and your Holer crew. man, I wish the Hole was the same these days...boy has it changed.

Adam said...

Matty- you skipped for slingsnot. Props to you.

Lindy- I didn't even know you existed till basically our sophmore year. Then I was like yeah Lindy she's... ah cool. JK

Mandy- yep I remember thinking half the time, What the, largely due to Rachel

Anonymous said...

Mandy I cannot believe how long ago our freshmen year was. I feel like I should publicly apologize for my psychotic behavior. I was such a spaz! If I could go back in time I would slap myself right in the face and be like "calm down!" Then I would pluck my eyebrows and recommend changing my hair. I wonder how many people thought I was on drugs. Hey, do you remember "hit the ball" what a fun game! And our gold stars, we just thought we were so clever. At least we had fun.
Rachel

Anonymous said...

Nothing bad can be said about hit the ball. That game brought on hours and hours of fun and laughter.

What was the record? Like 400?

I also just remembered that time we made that massive snowman and then some Titus boys came over and crucified him. Good times.

Melissa

Mandy said...

omg - hit the ball!!! i think i still have that somewhere, don't i? or who has it? remember when we got the God Squad (josh peigh, dustin, brad, hentrich, nick, jake, tom, etc.) to play w/ us? well, at least some of them did...others made fun of us.

and oh, you better believe that snowman was the best one that's ever been made in the history of LCC! It has to be! The guys had to stand on the picnic tables to even reach the top of the middle to put the head on! That was awesome. Definitely one of my favorite memories, along w/ playing in the mud before the Laughlin Center was built.

I'm glad 2 of my best memories from LCC have to do w/ some form of precipitation.

Anonymous said...

Ok, after reading all your memories I had to post some that came to mind. What about dance party in my room with our Slingshot shirts? Afternoon naps all of us in the same room? Alli talking in her sleep... scary! We sure had good times! The snowman was amazing, as was playing in the mud. And let's not forget crawling in the tunnels...
Matty J - don't forget about R.O.C.K! :)
Adam - is there something you would like to share? I feel as though there is...
Girls - I miss those times when we could just hang out together - those were some of the best days - thanks!

Anonymous said...

Yea.. ok - so I forgot to sign my name to the last post - oops!
This is Steph.