Year 1: What I've Learned

Well, it’s that time of year again, and summer is almost upon us. For some of us, that means that we’re just finishing our first year of college,  and for others, it means that your time at Concordia has come to an end. No matter what your situation is, transitioning from living at school to living at home – or somewhere else – once again can be…well, weird.  

I know – I’m only a freshman, so I can’t really speak for those of you who have done this before. But I can already tell that it’s going to be a very odd and even stressful transition. As if moving to college wasn’t different enough, now I have to move most of my life around again? And then again in August? I can’t say that I’ve gotten a lot of packing done – this week’s been kind of crazy – but I’m slowly making progress.  

Anyways, now that my first year here is almost at its close, I can’t help but reflect on some of the things that I’ve learned over the past eight months. Some of these things are lessons that I’ve learned, while others are just Concordia (or Nebraska!) tidbits of knowledge that everyone really needs.  
 

You’re going to feel like you’re trapped in a tornado pretty much all the time 

And no – I don’t mean this figuratively, like life is that crazy here. What do I mean? SO. MUCH. WIND. There are some days where you’re going to feel like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, trapped in a tornado whenever you go outside. That’s just what Nebraska is like, apparently. 

It’s sometimes hard to wait for things, but patience is necessary 

But it’s just so hard when I know that the new music building is going to have eleven practice organs instead of three! 

It’s not *really* that hard to make friends 

Let’s face it: at one point or another, most of us probably worried about finding friends here at Concordia. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a school with a kinder student body, though – and staff! Go make friends with the Chartwells staff! The janitors! Everyone! 

Best study spots?  

After eight months of living on Concordia’s campus, you’d think I would make a decision about where my favorite study spot is. Needless to say, I haven’t. Is it the library’s “blue room?” Or that conference room on the top floor? But then again, I really like studying in Thom…or on the steps on the side of Brommer, when the weather’s nice.  
 

Coffee isn’t just a drink; it’s a way of life. 

I said what I said. We all need the caffeine.  

Your faith will grow here, probably more than you ever thought it could 

Daily chapel? Having a group of friends who keeps you accountable for going to church every Sunday? All the Bible study groups you can join on campus? There are countless opportunities for faith formation here on campus, and an even greater number of people who are here to support you in your faith journey, whatever that might look like right now.  
 

And last but not least… 

Nebraska license plates are numbered by county?!?!?! 

Why am I so obsessed with this? Whoever thought of it is an absolute genius. Minnesota needs to take notes.  

Of course, these are only a small snippet of everything I’ve learned this year at Concordia – and that’s not even considering everything I’ve learned academically. Well, it’s been a year full of learning and growth, at least for me. I hope it has been for you, too. See y’all in four months! 

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