once a strange place, now a home

working at jumpstart this weekend has made me think about how different my view of rochester is now compared with when i was a freshman. i was miserable here my first semester, homesick every waking moment. i felt like such an outsider in a community of people who all seemed to be connected. i wanted to be a part of that, but it didn't seem possible. well, i ended up proving myself wrong. i am now connected, i am a part of this community of believers. i would gladly endure that semester of homesickness again if i had to, because it is nothing compared to the way i feel about rochester now. this campus has become my home and a place of self-discovery. i feel like this is where i belong and where i need to be at this time in my life. sure, i still get homesick every now and again. but then i see the family that has made this place a home for me. i am so thankful for every opportunity and person that God has placed in my life since i stepped foot on this campus three years ago. i pray that each of these freshmen that are just starting their journey here at rochester will find the same thing that i have found.