College Life to host kick-off event to bring in new school year
By Chelsie Gastright
Every year High Point University hosts an activity fair to allow students, both new and old, to find organizations and clubs that suit their personalities. This activity fair is informational and laid back, but sometimes through all the chaos it can become hard for organizations to stand out. One organization, however, goes the extra mile to make sure their voice is heard over the rest.
College Life, which was formed four years ago by a youth pastor from High Point, N.C., has become a large, but close-knit, organization on campus. It was created as the college chapter of Young Life to help students continue to learn the word of the Gospel in a fun and exciting way once in college. Within its first official year on HPU’s campus, the organization had gained a significant number of student members and was also awarded Student Organization of the Year by the Student Government Association.
From its first year onward, College Life has grown in great numbers and is constantly finding ways to keep students interested and aware of their presence on campus. During the first week of school, College Life hosts a kick-off event to help it stand out to the student body. This year, the kick-off event will be held on Aug. 24 in the amphitheater behind the Slane Student Center.
“Our kick-off event is usually high energy, anyone and everyone is invited to come, it’s free, and it’s such a great way for us to make College Life known to people,” said Lindsay Hamilton, a member of the College Life leadership team.
The kick-off event is very laid back and allows students to come and go as they please while listening to music and chatting with friends. Last year the event was held in the Point Arcade, but this year College Life has a special treat for the kick-off event: breakout Christian artists Jenny and Tyler. The concert is just another way that College Life is trying to show students they are striving for the best each year.
Beyond the kick-off event that happens each fall, College Life has plenty of opportunities for freshmen and seniors alike to become involved in the organization. College Life is not specifically affiliated with any particular denomination, but is more so invested in helping students find their place in a welcoming environment.
“You don’t have to be a Christian to come and many people who don’t identify with a faith have found a home within College Life,” said Kelsey Jackson, a member of the College Life membership team. “Ultimately, we are here to live life with college students and show them who Christ is.”
College Life is filled with student leaders that help freshmen students make an easy transition into the lives of college students, but also to help students understand the word of the Gospel in a fun and modern way. Some of the ways that College life does this is through bible studies and “club meetings” every other Wednesday during the school year.
“The freshmen bible study is a more furthering of the ministry offered through College life, and is usually held on Monday nights,” says Casey Ellis, a member and College Life leader. Ellis also mentioned that for freshmen bible studies, attendance is greatly stressed because part of the process is to gain a sense of community in the students.
Along with the freshmen bible study, an upperclassmen study is led by Chris Barrett once a week as well. Barrett is the founder and mentor for the HPU College Life chapter, and he preaches at a local church in High Point. Attendance for the upperclassmen bible study is also stressed, and is an extension of what they teach in the weekly meetings. As well as bible studies and bi-weekly meetings, College life hosts both a spring and fall retreat to help students bond and learn more of what the organization is founded on.
Sometimes coming to a new place is difficult, and adjusting the new environment can be even harder. The students in College Life have found a welcoming and friendly atmosphere that teaches the Gospel in fun and modern way. Come out on August 24 to see for yourself exactly what College Life is doing for the students of HPU, and you may be affected the way others have.
For more information on College Life, you can visit their Facebook page by searching “HPU College Life.” If you want to hear some of Jenny & Tyler’s music before the big kick-off event, you can visit their fan page here: http://www.jennyandtylermusic.com/index-normal.php