Community

Something I learned a lot about this past semester was the concept of community, specifically in the dorm I live in. Community is a word that gets tossed about a lot in our society today. I think there are many uses for it, not all of them merited. I myself have a lot to learn about what true community is. But I think I learned a lot this past year...

I've always had the privilege of having an amazing group of friends ever since I started attending Hillsdale. Freshman year I learned the importance of building a strong community of people that would be your support base- especially during the college years and especially at a challenging school like Hillsdale. This group of friends became my community and my family during my freshman year. We did most everything together. Whether it was movies (theater or on campus), studying, cooking and eating, or whatever else happen to came up, I spent a lot of time with the same group of friends. I am so thankful I had them to go back to at the beginning of this year and look forward to growing with them throughout the remaining years of college.

This year another community grew within my life that was not necessarily expected. Within my dorm- the one with the reputation for being quiet with the doors closed- grew into an amazing community of Christian guys that I hope to continue developing great relationships with. Community became a part of my life to the extent that I enjoyed working in my room and just hanging out with whoever was around. Whether it was talking about nothing until 3am, making random MacDonalds runs, or reading countless English papers, community was something I desired and sought after...
And it is well worth the effort. Although community cannot be forced, I realized that sometimes one must make an effort to foster community. I do not think things happen by chance... I am grateful for this past year and look forward to what next semester brings...

Meanwhile I will continue to ponder the concept of community...

Niedfeldter's minus one...

The roommates!


David...



Most of the guys for a picture with David. Apparently David is not coming back next semester. So yeah... this post is for David... for the awesome semester... and the great memories...

Late Nights/Distractions/Finals Week

Lots of random stuff here tonight. So much of my life is structured. Class time. Time outside class. Paper writing. Debate speeches (HA!). Okay maybe not a *lot* of my time is structured, but too much of it is. As least for my liking. Therefore you get a random and unstructured post tonight.

First... hmm... I really like staying up late. Pretty much everyone who knows me understands my late night habits. For some reason I can think clearly at night. My thoughts understand what I am reading. They can focus better than any other time of the day. In all honesty, I am never tired. I am tired mornings and afternoons and evenings. But I wake up completely past midnight.

Distractions are amazing. I don't think I've ever had a bad one. At least this semester. People have distracted me from my work. Which hasn't been bad because I haven't had a ton of work comparatively. Next year might be different. But for now I enjoy every chance I get for conversation. Every opportunity to learn something about someone's personality that never struck me before. Such things are worth it, and I am blessed....

The end of the semester brings many emotions for me. I am going to miss being gone from my friends, and from my home here at school for the entire four week break we get. I am trying not to think about how soon it will come. The goal of course is, to enjoy this week as much as possible.

I simply hope that I am understood... that what people see in me is what they truly get...

.... Random ...