Spring Is for…

Grove City College Campus is blooming, and with it, students are out and about looking for things to do. Not to worry, our campus has put together a beautiful array of events that fulfill the need for community while also being safe. All of our sports have been raring at the bit and every single field is being used.

Sporting Events

Since all of our Fall/Winter sports had to be put on hold because of COVID, all of the sports teams are competing in the spring. You want to watch a baseball game and a football game in the same week? Well, because of COVID, now you can!

It has been fun to watch our student body go all out to support our teams. Catch students attending baseball, softball, football, tennis, swimming, track, soccer, volleyball games. If you would like to play a sport (but not on a college-level, competitive team) feel free to check out the numerous IM teams we have. We even have a badminton and Quidditch team!

Chapels/ Vespers/ Warriors

Chapel, Vespers, and Warriors are all going strong! Chapel provides your weekly dose of fellowship in the Word while Vespers and Warriors are slightly smaller gatherings for those who seek more instruction. Vespers takes place every Sunday evening. Warriors is Thursday nights and Chapel runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I personally have attended Vespers over the past couple of years and found that it is a truly refreshing way to end the Sabbath day and focus your week.

Warriors is a set time to come pray for your fellow believers. Thursday is two-thirds through the week. Often you feel tired and worn down at this point. Warriors gives students a place to come and seek restoration.

Marriage Seminars

A small gathering of people started a group chat for those interested in attending seminars. Caroline Dudt, a student here, created the chat and has been organizing events for the students. She has gotten many different couples to come speak on Monday nights to those interested. And the interest has spread. The chat is at 127 members currently and still growing!

Theatre

Our college just put on three plays that they normally would not have considered doing since the cast is so small (three parts for each); however the theatre department was able to perform these plays because of COVID. Although COVID has restricted many things, Grove City College Campus refuses to be beaten down. Instead they have found ways to adapt and overcome. These three plays are an excellent example of this happening. Because students are required to social distance and maintain mask wearing, it is hard to put on a theatrical production since many people would be interacting in a closed space. COVID allowed the theatre department to explore plays that they normally would never have considered since the casting list was so small. 

College Sanctioned Events

Keep Calm and Finish Strong!

Virtual Event: Tips to Help Students Study for Finals. Happening 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 14.

Making the Most of Your Internship virtual event happening Thursday, April 15 at 4p.m.

 

…Being Busy Beavers

Although COVID put many many events on hold over the past year, Grove City College has not been beaten by it. In fact, it has emerged stronger than ever! We, as a campus, have been able to do things we never would have considered doing simply because there are restrictions and regulations that we are now following.

Those plays wrecked their audiences. 

Those sporting events have increased a sense of camaraderie.

This marriage seminar group chat has allowed people to attend a helpful and engaging seminar led by many wise people!

Spring has Sprung…

…and with it, warmer weather, birds returning from their long winter sabbaticals, flowers poking through the ground, and students looking for ways to engage with their friends in safe, fun, and most importantly free ways!

At this stage, COVID is still around so the Grove City College campus body wants to not only be safe and respectful to others but also wants to look for ways to enjoy the warmer weather. After a long winter slogging through snow, I’m here to tell you a bit about some of the things to do on and off campus that are safe and free!

I’ve grouped everything into three different categories: Play, Leisure, and Adventure.

Play:

Whether you are athletically inclined or you want to feel the burn these activities are for you.

• Go for a walk – Grab a friend and explore around Grove City. The streets are safe, and it is easy to feel a burn walking up and down those hills – OK, I’m from a plains state. We have no hills and the tiny ones here kill me!
• Stretch those legs – You can do this in a formal sense (like yoga) or you can just grab some friends, make a big circle and gently stretch those muscles. YouTubing stretches should give you enough to last you for awhile.
• Hiking – Like walking… but harder. If you have a car and want to make a long trip out of it there are some beautiful trails around the Pennsylvania area that are highly worth checking out. Personally, I find that Cooks Forest and McConnells Mill State Park are great places to hike.
• Games on the quad – These are already popular. Volleyball nets are set up on the back side of Lincoln Hall. Spike Ball and Frisbees are easy to come by. If you do not have friends with either, emailing your RA will be helpful since they can point you in the right direction. 
• Walk to the store – It’s only four miles round trip. I’ve done it before and there’s something so rewarding about hauling your groceries on your back. However, there is no sidewalk along part of the road so be careful and wear bright colors! It’s an excellent way to get some exercise and talk with a friend.
• Bike ride – If you would like to go faster and farther than a walk can get you, bring your bike! There are places to store your bike on campus and the country roads are just minutes away and provide hours of cycling.
• Run – Torture. But a leisurely jog with a friend can keep you accountable and get some exercise in.
• Water balloon fight/nerf gun fight (clean up needed) – Organizing a campus-wide water balloon fight sounds amazing! But be aware that there is a cost involved since you’d have to buy balloons and remember to clean up all the pieces!
• Yoga – A more organized approach to the whole stretching idea.
• Volunteer – Do some research. There are many organizations worth your time.

 

Leisure:

If you don’t want to torture yourself, consider some of these activities.

• Stargazing – Who doesn’t love lying on their back and looking up at the sky to be reminded of how small we are?
• Fire pit – You can reserve the fire pit for your smoky night ghost stories.
• Hammocking – Many good trees.
• Picnic – The most romantic date ever, or an excellent way to catch up with a platonic friend.
• Card games or board games outside – If you are into card games, why not try them outside! Just be aware of any wind!
• Tan – Catch some zzzz’s and some sun. Sunshine is important for your vitamin D.
• Study on Quad – Not as fun, but still nice.
• Talk – Don’t let that phone dictate your friendships!
• Get to know that roommate – Need some icebreakers? Look online! Getting a different roommate for next year? Now’s the time to get to know them!
• Bake in either Ketler Rec or Mary Anderson Pew South Rec (reserve lounge) – Missing those homemade brownies? Well, you can bake them here!
• Draw – Not only for if you are artsy. You can also try something you have never done before. Especially with a friend.
• Read – Read alone, read in a group, read out loud. So many options. 
• Make some cards or do some origami – Need a craft and some sun.
• Embroider/crochet/knit – Like the little old woman you are (all levels welcome).
• Take a nap:)
• Puzzles – 50 cent puzzles can be found many places like Salvation Army.
• Bubbles – Embrace that inner 4 year old.
• Journal/write letter to future you/grandchildren/ etc. – Super fun.

 

Adventure:

• Beach – There are some beautiful lakes nearby that have excellent beaches. Or if you are looking to make a weekend out of it, go on up to Erie, PA.
• Car ride – If you have a car and do not mind using gas, turn on some tunes, grab some friends and get lost on the road!
• Feel the breeze – Feel that wind on your face and breathe in the smells. Do not worry. You’ve got this.
• Library – Check out the public library or the school’s library for some amazing books!
• Go to the park – Everything you can do on the Quad, you can do at the park (except maybe computer work) It’s even within walking distance!
• Listen to a podcast together (GCC INSIDER has some good ones on Spotify! *hint hint nudge nudge*).
• Create a will or last 24hr playlist – If you are morbid or just want to shoot the breeze, draw up a will. Divide up things even if they have no monetary value. Who says you need monetary value?
• Photo Shoot – Pick some friends and work on posing and props.
• Time capsule – Bury some trinkets (not on campus) and come back for your 50 year reunion and dig it up.
• Geocaching – Before all you young folk started Pokémon Go, there was geocaching. Geocaching is done by looking for little capsules people have buried/hidden in different places. I’ve found capsules in books, trees, and even inside office buildings. A simple Google search will get you on your way.
• Blanket fort (outside?) – Why not? Might be hard but creativity is all that’s required.

So in conclusion…

Get out there and have some fun!

 

What Is 48 Hour Prayer?

It is a time when the whole campus gets together to pray for the nations. We pray for specific ministries in the US and abroad, we pray for missionaries that our campus body knows, and we pray for the unreached people who do not even know about Christ. For 48 hours in the middle of the spring semester, our campus comes together to pray. People can sign up for specific times or come when they please. We have a room dedicated to this prayer vigil, but you are more than welcome to pray anywhere! We literally have people praying around the clock so that there is no time within that 48 hours that is left without prayer. The purpose is not to show how dedicated we are to prayer but instead to intentionally set aside time to pray for our brothers and sisters.

It is a really unique time of camaraderie on campus, and I have benefited so much from it before. Unfortunately, I was not able to go last year because I was studying abroad (and then the pandemic started) which is why I am so excited for this year! Not only do I benefit from time spent in intentional prayer, but those laboring for Jesus abroad need all the encouragement and prayers they can get!

What Does 48 Hour Prayer Look Like?

The campus ministry department puts together a beautiful room with different stations. These stations feature specific organizations that they either have connections with or know need intentional or specific prayers. These organizations can be anything: orphanages, schools, organizations working with developing countries or refugees to make a livelihood, safehouses for people rescued out of trafficking, and more. Other stations might feature missionaries that our campus body may know personally. All of these stations are set up differently. Each station allows the person to pray in a bit of a different way. Prayer can be accomplished in many different ways. It can be written out, spoken, shouted, written in sand and wiped away, etc. Sometimes holding an object in your hand while you pray helps you to visualize what you are praying about.

Each of these stations offers a different way to pray. At least, that is how it was set up the last time I went. It may be different this year but that’s the beauty of it. You do not have to have a specific way you pray and you do not have to try new things but sometimes it is nice to try out something new and different.

These stations are just a sounding board. If you know someone and want to pray for them. By all means, please do! The beauty is simply found in the campus coming together to pray for the nations.

Why Is This Important For You?

I hope prayer is important to you. Even if it is not, our school is founded on prayer. We long to become more like Christ in everything we do. As a Christian college our mission is to serve the Lord while we attain a higher education. 48 Hour Prayer simply reminds us why we are here. Yes we are here for our education, but we are also here to shine the light of the gospel for Christ. Many of us will graduate college and be taken on a wildly different journey in life than we could have ever imagined. Having a good foundation in the Lord is important. And intentional prayer is one facet of having that solid foundation.

This year I am looking forward to the 48 Hour Prayer, not only because it brings our campus together, but because it also allows our purpose here as a college to really step to the forefront. When we are united in Christ, nothing can stand in our way. Physically, life goes on outside of the 48 Hour Prayer. Classes are not canceled. We do not skip meals. BUT something so much more important is going on. We are waging war against the Enemy and his Evil Ones. This is not to say that we, as Christians, are not fighting every day of our lives, however, we are fighting in a collective, united front for 48 hours. When we intentionally stop to pray and intentionally pray for specific organizations and peoples it is much harder to be led astray.

 God’s Plan For Us

So now we are on our fourth and final installment of my Shifting Perspectives Throughout the College Years series. Today I will be talking with some of our seniors who are getting ready to graduate May 2021 or have already graduated in December of 2020. The goal is to see how their perspectives on life and school have changed over the years and to see where I fit into this whole thing.

About Me

I have felt a bit lost, to be perfectly honest. By year I am a junior, but by graduation status, I am a senior. However, I have never really felt like I belong to one over the other. In actuality, it doesn’t matter when you finish school, how long it takes you, or whether or not you follow the “traditional” route after high school and attend a four-year university. The truth is, God will use you however he needs you. Whether you go to a community college, take a gap year, go to college for four years, go to graduate school, attend a university for five years, attend a trade school, start an apprenticeship, or do not finish high school, God will use you how he sees fit. But, it is rather fun to see what sorts of changes one makes throughout their time at college and what sort of outlook they have now compared to high school.

In case you have not read my other articles, since I am graduating from college in three years instead of four, I decided to write this series because I was curious to see what others’ perspectives are as they grow and change throughout their time here at Grove City College. I also thought it would interesting to see if my outlook on life aligns more closely with a typical senior’s perspective or not since I do not fit in the normal category for graduation.

On that note, let’s look at some of our senior’s responses.

First up is Emily Ferreira a Senior Psychology and English major. Her goal at the beginning of her college career was to be a professional counselor and so far she is on track to do just that! Her current plan is to work for a few years before graduate school to get a better feeling for how much further she wants to go in her education.

Next up is Shelly Qin. She graduated this December and majored in International Business and minored in Economics and Pre-Law. In an interesting turn of events, Shelly realized that she had a love for modelling. Now she models and is loving it!

Rachel Franklin is next. She is a senior Computer Science major working towards a career in data analytics. She has loved getting to experience a second family within the Grove City College community. And she had a really humble response to the question: What would you change about your college experience if you could? She said, “Nothing that I have control over.” This is a beautiful reminder that a lot of life happens outside of our control.

Next we have Emily Roesenberger who is a senior English and Secondary Ed major. She is looking at teaching high school abroad. College has provided her with so much more than she expected. She says, “To dream/think about them [experiences] is very different than the actual experience.  Like the friendships are deeper that I thought possible, I’ve had so many new experiences I never thought I could/would even have access to, things I thought I would dread have actually been some of my favorite parts of school, etc.”

Hannah Elder is next. She is a senior Accounting major. She was looking for a Christian community with tough but doable academics. Grove City College not only fit the bill but also gave her a nice balance between the two. Grove City College helped her grow and learn throughout her time at school.

Lastly, we have Sarah Robinson. She is a Business Analysis major with a concentration in Analytics. She told me part of her story about almost getting trapped in Australia when the world shut down due to COVID. However, college prepared her for such a stressful situation because she was used to getting things done in a crunch. She also had this to say: “College has been an incredible time of both personal and professional growth. Even if this last year has been nothing like anyone could have expected, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn with like-minded peers. Community was something I was looking for in a college and I am thrilled to say I found it. It looks different from freshman to senior year, but along the way I have build friendships with community members, faculty, classmates, and random people I introduced myself to.”

In Conclusion

I feel like this is a perfect place to wrap up. Sarah’s recollections about community and building friendships that look different from freshman to senior year is exactly what I have experienced as well. It doesn’t really matter if you “feel” ready to graduate because God will help you get there at the right time. All of these seniors that I interviewed are excited to be out in the world. I am too. Growing and changing over the last few years has prepared me to showcase my gifts for the Lord. All of these students that I interviewed are also working towards this as well. In fact, God is using them already! God is amazing and he has prepared a path specifically for each one of us; I am excited to see what he has in store for me!

 

The Juniors Edition

We are now onto the third installment of our changing perspectives series. And it is time to talk to the juniors.

Answering These Questions

If you have not had a chance to read my previous articles, I really encourage you to check them out. I have been curious to see how perspectives on school and life change throughout your college experience. Does your idea of what or who you want to be change as you progress throughout college?

Who Am I?

I am graduating a year early (May 2021) and wondered if my outlook on life is shortchanged because I will have been attending college for only three years instead of four. I was curious to see if my outlook aligns more closely with the juniors or seniors, but I was also curious to see how our freshmen and sophomores are doing as well. Hence this series.

I explain more fully in part one the reason behind my shorter college experience, but basically, I took enough dual enrollment in high school to transfer into college as a sophomore. For a variety of reasons I did not, so now I am graduating as a junior.

Now Let’s See What Other Juniors Had To Say!

Keaghan Gray is a junior Political Science major with a National Security minor. Her original job goal was to be an Intelligence Analyst for an agency like the CIA or FBI. Now, three years in, she told me her ideas have shifted slightly and she would rather work in a thinktank under a foreign policy or national security field, and she is debating about graduate school. She has also been pleasantly surprised by the college experience. Education has taught her many lessons and forced her to grow in many ways. And finally she says that she, “would take more chances and push myself further out of my comfort zone.”

Next I talked to Junior English major with Communications and Writing minors, Lydia Barth. She feels like she has grown and changed so much since she entered college and that it has helped her to hone her skills and learn more about herself as a person. Her goal is to live on her own, publish a book, and have a job that she loves and she would like to remind you to not take your years at college for granted because they fly by. “Remember the time here, because you only have four years, and they go by so fast!”

I talked to Ashley Ostrowski next. She is also an English major and has said that she feels much more focused now than when she entered college but still is not tied to a particular job or title. College has helped her “become so much more self-sufficient, and I’ve matured quite a bit.” Ashley was actually an undeclared freshman her first year and did not declare English until her sophomore year. College is an excellent opportunity to explore subjects that interest you and it can help you figure out what you are passionate about and want to dedicate your time to studying. Ashley took some English classes and was hooked. 

Lastly, I talked to Scott Amon who is also a junior English major. (I guess English majors like answering surveys😊) However, Scott didn’t start out as an English major. For a while he was dead set on joining the CIA, but that changed after his first year. He is more interested in technical writing or becoming a paralegal now. When I asked him about growth from high school to college he said, “I look back on some of the papers I wrote and realize that I have grown a lot since my senior literature classes!” I hope you find that encouraging!

And finally, here is some advice from Scott, “I would say the two things I would tell my high school senior self is to worry less and expect my plans to change. Planning and being proactive is beneficial, but plans can change in a few short months let alone four years. As for worrying, I have found that it is pretty useless and often slows you down.”

To Sum Up

I have now talked to people who have gone through the same years that I have (freshman through junior). I am finding that I resonated deeply with the responses from the freshmen and sophomores. I was in their shoes last year or the year before. I can remember that I felt the same way they did. When you are not sure what you want to do but you are focused on enjoying my time at school, it is hard to think about your future. But, I also resonate with the juniors. I look back on my time here at school and realize it is almost over. I also can see how much I have grown. However, I do not have the luxury of one more year of college. This is it. My final countdown. Maybe my perspective lines up more with the seniors? Let us see what they have to say.

Growth In College

Throughout my college experience, I have changed and grown so much as a person. Although I am technically graduating this year, I am really a junior based on how many years I have been at school. Because I am finishing school faster than average, I sometimes feel like I have not had as much time to process my transition between high school, college, and adult life. So, I was curious to see in what ways others have changed throughout their college experience and see if an extra year would have made a difference in how I am approaching my transition into the working world. Hopefully, my findings will be helpful to anybody else considering a non-conventional approach to college.

 

A Bit About Me

If you did not see my story in the first part of this series, let me catch you up. I was homeschooled my entire life which allowed me to attend dual enrolled classes in my last two years of high school. I actually had enough college credit under my belt to enter college as a sophomore. Long story short, I did not transfer in, so I entered Grove City College as a freshman, but am graduating a year early. As my time at college draws to a close (I am graduating May 2021) I was curious to see how other student’s perspectives about school, college, and life have changed over time.

Asking Others to Share Their Stories

I reached out to some sophomores to help me answer this burning question: How has your perspective changed over your time as a college student? I wanted to know if they were roughly at the same stage I was at last year. Rachel Gray, an Elementary and Special Education major, told me that she has changed her major many times over her two years here. That often happens and can be a beautiful sign of change and growth in a person. Often when you graduate high school you are expected to know exactly what you want to do with your life but don’t actually know enough about yourself to decide.

Another sophomore, Emily Adams, a Computer Science major, answered my question a bit differently. She said, “I had grown up in high school, so I came here already grown.” This is a beautiful statement that many people probably haven’t felt comfortable enough to say, but it doesn’t minimize the importance of growth at all stages.

Nicole Switzer, a Music Education major, said that her “classes and homework assignments have helped me figure out more exactly of what I want to do when I graduate.” She had this piece of advice for prospective students, “Don’t be afraid to get involved!” She is so correct. Getting involved opens so many doors to experiences you never thought you’d have.

Lydia Joyner, a Biology/Health major with a BARS minor (Bachelor of Arts in Religion) reflected on her experiences. “It’s is definitely harder than I thought it would be—academically, emotionally, mentally, etc. It can be exhausting for me to try to keep up with all of the things happening. School is hard. Relationships, even with people you love, can be hard. Being away from home can be hard. But there are also really great things about college. I wasn’t expecting to make such good friends so quickly. I can honestly say that I’ve met my best friends here and have had the best experiences here.” I can say the same thing, Lydia! I love my friends here at college. College is an amazing opportunity to meet people you never thought you would meet.

Ellianna Fry, an Entrepreneurship major, says that while she did not have any specific ideas about what she wanted to do, she has been extremely happy as an entrepreneurship student. And while switching from high school to college was initially more challenging than she thought, Ellianna would not change her experience.

Finally, Elanor Lambert, a Biology/Health major, realized that while she initially thought she wanted to be an OBGYN, she realized that she preferred the privacy of the lab work she has been doing. College is such a good way to test out what you like and do not like. She spent a lot of time talking to professors, other doctors, and panels to help her make her decision. Finally, she said that she feels more “grown up” in some ways since leaving high school and not in others. And that is ok! College is an excellent time to try things out, figure out more about yourself, and enjoy the experience!

Concluding Thoughts

Although all of these students are on track for a four-year graduation date, all of them have learned a lot from going to college and experiencing new things. If you are considering college, Grove City College is an excellent place to try new and exciting experiences with new friends. Take the advice of these sophomores and do not be afraid to get involved; you never know what you might find.

Is College For You?

As you get ready to consider if college is in your future, you might find yourself asking questions about college can actually do for you. If you were like me, college was always in the cards, but you did not really know what you wanted to do. Or maybe you are like my brother. He is 16 and does not want to do college; he would rather become an apprentice and learn a trade. Or maybe you do know exactly what you want to do, you have your degree all picked out and you cannot wait for the first day of classes. I am not here to tell you if you should go to college or if you should do something else. All I am trying to do is paint a picture of what college might be able to do for you. There are so many opportunities at Grove City College and you will have so many chances to grow. You do not stay the same person from when you graduate high school to the time you enter the working world. Everyone’s path looks different. That is why I wanted to ask some students how their perspectives have changed over the years. How have they grown? What has a college experience shown them? Are they ready to graduate?

A Bit About Me

In order to understand my mindset about graduation, you need to know a bit more about me. I graduated high school in May of 2018 and started attending Grove City College in August of the same year. I entered college as an English major and have remained so over my years here, but that is not how it is for everyone.

I was homeschooled my entire life and split my time between my mother’s instruction and homeschool co-ops. For anyone who does not know what a co-op is, it basically is a group of homeschool families who get together once a week, pool their specialties and teach everyone’s children like regular school. Then the rest of the week, parents help their children complete the homework. When I reached my junior year of high school I started attending classes at our local community college for dual enrollment. This meant that I graduated high school with about 32 credit hours (or almost my associates degree).  I could have transferred into the College as a sophomore but my parents (and admissions counselor) felt that it would be more beneficial to enter as a freshman. I will not get into all the boring details, but essentially it meant that although I would enter as a freshman, I had enough credits under my belt to graduate a year early, as a junior.

The Point

I have asked some of our freshmen students to give me their perspectives on college. Although they have only been attending Grove City College for a year, so many of them have already grown and changed so much. Whether that be changing majors or simply solidifying their desire to attend college, these students are raring to go and are excited to spend the next few years at Grove City College.

Their Stories

Grant Baughman is freshman, class of 2024 student. He told me he is currently in the process of switching majors from Biology/Health to Exercise Science and adding a minor in Nutrition. He had a loose idea of what he wanted to do after school: physician’s assistant, and is now considering working with people on diet, exercise, and one day hopefully owning his own gym. Grant had an excellent piece of advice to give, “One thing that I wish I could have changed so far is not coming in with the mindset that this is going to be a breeze, because it isn’t. College really makes you think about what you want to do for the rest of your life. How much you put in you will get out of it. The hard work has to be there from beginning to end to really get something out of the college experience.” This is so poignant at any stage in life, but especially those considering school.

Next I talked with Ellis Shelton. She is an English major, also graduating 2024. Currently her job goal is editing for a publishing company. She has also really enjoyed getting deeper into her areas of interest with the classes she’s been taking. Creative writing and literature classes have only deepened her love for the subject and while she was originally worried about the work load, she has found it to be quite manageable.

Gianna D’Amato was the next student I interviewed. She is a freshman Bio/Health major and recently added a Biblical and Religious Studies minor (BARS minor). Since picking up a BARS minor, Gianna has been leaning towards working in the medical field but also incorporating ministry into her job as well which is an excellent example of how college can help you hone your dreams and ideas into a viable career. She has been learning so much and is excited to keep at it!

Lastly, I talked with Andrew Bergey. He is a freshman Electrical Engineering major with a Robotics minor. He is “look[ing] forward to continuing to learning, hanging out with, and just doing life with a group of my friends and peers. I’m not exactly sure what I thought college would be [like] but I wasn’t very surprised by how my experience has gone so far other than COVID of course. I have definitely enjoyed my time at college, I have a good group of friends and keep meeting new people.” He would tell you to not be afraid of getting involved with campus groups since there are so many unique groups available on campus!

A quick side note

All of the students I talked to throughout this four part series, when asked what they would change about their college experience, expressed a desire to no longer have to deal with COVID. However, not a single one of them has been resentful about this issue! All of them have expressed that it would be nice to return to normal someday but that they are still enjoying their time here and thriving despite the changes! So, if you are worried about not having a good time while in the midst of a pandemic, all of these students have something to tell you!

Often, college campuses get caught up in the thrill of sports teams. Sports are constantly talked about among the students, faculty, and are even brought up in campus wide emails. This is true for any college but especially Grove City College. Now, I’m not saying sports are bad. Many people love sports… I just don’t happen to be one of those people. I’ve never been very competitive so I don’t tend to participate in sports nor am I very athletically inclined. Frankly, I’m terrible at almost every sport.

So, what is there left to do on campus? If you and your friends don’t want to participate in the sporting events, is there even a place for you at Grove City College?

Of course there is! I’m here to tell you that you do belong here. Just because sports take the spotlight doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways for your passions and hobbies to be utilized and explored on campus.

Here are a few ideas

Have you heard about our ceramics department? If you take a class or become a student worker, the studio is open for your use. Some of our students have spent countless hours creating beautiful pieces in our studio. Or you can learn from our drawing masters here on campus.

We also offer classes in things like racquetball, karate, and ballroom dancing. There is the bowling alley. There is recreational swimming (if you want exercise).

Ceramics or art not your thing? Or you’d rather not pile more classes onto your already packed schedule? Or you don’t want to do anything related to sports?

Clubs:

Well, we have a theatre department that would love to see you showcase your skills! (Even if you aren’t an amazing actor or singer, we could use you! There is no small part, just small(er) actors!)

We have amazing writing clubs and organizations. Check out The Echo or The Quad our two literary magazines. We also have The Fireside Poet Society which showcases the hidden poetic talents of our students.

There are countless other organizations and clubs. Have you heard about the Adopt A Grandparent Society or have you considered writing for the Collegian (the campus newspaper)? We also have outdoorsy clubs, a Quidditch team, and dancing clubs.

We even have political clubs! Check out both the Republican and Democrat clubs, especially if you aren’t sure where you land on politics.

Sororities and Fraternities are always an option if you want to form a close bond with likeminded people

Free Fun:

Have a board game (or card game) night. Bake some goodies in one of our dormitory kitchens! Reserve the firepit for a sing-along or scary story night… or just to hang out and chat around a fire.

Bring a hammock and tie it to a tree. Spread a blanket out in the grass to either study or lounge on. Some of the best times can come from lying quietly in nature with friends.

But say you already have a group of friends and need something to do together. You don’t see anything you like?

Create Your Own Club

Feel free to make up your own club! It’s a simple process. All you need to do is check out the Crimson Handbook for the instructions on how to form an official club. Too much hassle? You can form an unofficial club!

You don’t have to be involved in sports to have a fulfilling time here on campus. Whether you want to participate in sports or attend sporting events is entirely up to you. There is so much joy to be found in attending the events and cheering on our teams but if that isn’t your cup of tea, why don’t you try out some of the things I suggested?