Messiah, Round 2

This is my happy dance. 

     Well, it's official. I loved Messiah just as much, if not more, the second time around. When I woke up this morning at a cool 5:30AM, I was scared out of my mind that when I got there I would hate it, or not get the same feeling about it that I had the first time. But again, the same things struck me that had struck me before. We were early, of course, because that's the Vaughn Family Trademark, but we decided to go inside anyway and just hung out in the lobby area until it was time to go into the auditorium, and as soon as we set foot into the auditorium, the worship team was playing their instruments and singing a contemporary worship song (although for the life of me I can't remember what it was...something by Jeremy Camp I think??) Anyway, then they kicked it off by leading us all in a two songs ("10,000 Reasons" Matt Redman and "One Thing Remains" by Jeremy Riddle) and an opening word of prayer. It's just so refreshing and astounding to be in a SCHOOL and also be PRAYING. That's something I've never experienced, except maybe in FCA, which I didn't even get involved with until late last year. It's just awesome. The rest of the day was just as awesome, especially the tour and lunch (teehee), but I'll spare you a litany of mundane details, and just give you a short list of some of the random things I love about Messiah College.

1. Concerts
When our adorably awkward tour guide informed us that Twenty-One Pilots had just played a concert in Parmer Hall a few weeks ago, my ears perked up. They have free concerts in the Student Union every other Wednesday evening, usually local bands and small names. But in Parmer Hall, they have legitimate concerts for big name bands! As well, of course, as all the dance recitals and theater productions and band performances. All of which I'm stoked for.

2. Size
I cannot do big schools. I have lived in a miniature town my whole life, we don't even have a post office, and I know the names of everyone who lives on my street. My high school is on the small side and I pretty much know almost everyone there as well. It would be far too much of a culture shock to go to some humongous school where I barely knew anyone. Plus I think I would just hate that. I love feeling cozy and knowing just about everyone's name. Plus, a smaller student body means a closer relationship with your professors, which most likely means better grades, because if you have an issue, you can sit down with a professor and work through it. That was something big that all of the students that talked to us said: that they felt totally comfortable going to a professor and asking for help, because the 13:1 student/professor ratio is conducive to having a closer relationship with your teachers.

This is Harvard, but close enough...

3. Lost Movies
I know I mentioned this in my post about Messiah from last year, but it still bears repeating because it's such a selling point for me, lame as it is. First of all, it's no secret that college students have to be frugal with their money, so who has the time or cash to go see movies in theaters? So it's awesome to be able to see those same movies a few weeks later for 2 dollars just a minute away from your dorm? This weekend they're playing Mad Max, after which they always lead discussion groups if anyone wants to talk about the movie and analyze it. Which is such a "college" thing to do, it's great. Anyway, I'm beyond excited to watch the Lost movies. You better believe that's what I'm doing with my first weekend at Messiah next August.

4. Pulse FM
Another stereotypical college thing that I'm excited about is the campus radio station. Especially after perusing their summer playlist, which includes songs by artists such as Of Monsters and Men, Iron and Wine and Passion Pit, Like those are the exact genre I listen to!!!! Also, when we were sitting outside the student union eating snacks at the end of the day, they were playing "Electric Love" by BORNS and "Elevate" by St. Lucia!! They must have been like "Okay, VaughnDL's visiting today, so let's play some of her favorite songs". As IF I needed any further convincing that that's where I want to go.

5. The Swinging Bridge

Me, all day, 'ery day. 

I'm especially excited about Messiah's student produced magazine, The Swinging Bridge, because as a Journalism major, I know I'll have a huge part in the making of it, which is SOOO COOL!!! Especially because after leafing through the September issue that they gave me, it's seriously some high quality stuff!!! I honestly can't even wait to get off this computer and read the whole issue from cover to cover and imagine what my pages are going to look like come next year....YAY YAY YAY.

6. Hipsters
I've made many a blog post about hipsters and my love for the hipster counterculture. That's why I'm weirdly appealed to by the fact that Messiah is crawling with hipsters, and the best kind: Christian hipsters!!! So many man buns, so much plaid, so many braids. I can't wait. There's even an Instagram account called Buns of Messiah, dedicated entirely to man buns all around campus.

7. The Library
While we were on the tour, (which mind you I've already been on before), I wasn't even paying attention to what our guide was telling us because I was too busy staring wistfully down below at the literally thousands of books. I can't wait to crack into those babies. Plus, there's a coffee shop in there called Cafe Diem, which is an adorable name, and printers and computers and study rooms and nooks for your convenience. So yay!

8. Everything Else

There is nothing I don't love about Messiah (except perhaps the impersonal seeming bathrooms, but I'll learn to cope)! From the students, the faculty, the buildings, the location, the faith aspect, the food, the dorms (okay, the dorms could be cooler, but I'll work my magic once I get there) to the cafes, the book store, the clubs, the different chapels, and the academics, I know I'm going to love every second of my career there, and it makes the rest of this school year seem awfully lengthy...I am still so excited to spend the rest of my high school days making memories with my friends though, so I wouldn't trade it to leave early. Still, I know I'll be more than ready when the time comes in nine months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I hope your college journey is going as well as mine, and if it's not and you're stressing hardcore about deadlines (cough cough tomorrow) just remember that if you take a deep breath and just step back for a moment, you'll figure it all out and it'll be okay! You won't be led astray!!!

-VaughnDL