#fourth-years

I want to start out by saying how blessed I am to have such wonderful fourth-year friends in college (most universities would call them "seniors," but my university prefers this title).

Last year, when I was a first-year, I rarely had the opportunity to socialize with the upperclassman down on 14th street, let alone hang out down at the Corner; I was in my own little world in the dorm area.

That has changed.

My second-year (which will sadly soon be over in a week) took on a new direction, a new perspective of college life. I knew more people (compared to my first-year), but I wanted to know more people. I wanted to talk to people who I don't know, and being a fairly introverted person, that's quite a change. I wanted to know people by more than just their name and year.

In particular, I've gotten to hang out with my fourth-year friends a lot more this year. My discipler has been with me ever since I was a newbie at college, and he's graduating in a couple weeks. I'm now really close with my college "mom," and she has such a heart of us second years. My bible study leaders are now fourth-years, and they have dedicated so much time in preparing and leading us on a weekly-basis, even when they have exams to take and theses to write. And who could forget the awesome HOP porch sits? I have learned so much about their experiences in their four years, about previous HOP alumni, about things I should know before...doing them (haha, keep it PG here), about crazy things I need to do before I graduate, about their crazy stories of pranks and dares, about their internships and plans after graduation, about their classes and presentations, about their tastes in music, about their traditions and legacies, and most importantly, about their love of God.

I'm blessed to have met these amazing men and women of God. They have radiated Christ's love to the community, and our fellowship will be different without them, but I'm encouraged about all the rising fourth and third years who will continue to love God and love God's people. I also can't wait to become a fourth-year myself and share God's love to the young ones. "The more we see, the more we love You," Lord.

Every time I sit at the porch of the HOP, I savor every word and every second I have with them because time is limited, and graduation is near. I won't see them in the next school year, but Lord-willing, I will see them when they come visit. I know God has amazing plans for them after they graduate from college, and I know they will continue to love God in everything they do. I'm truly blessed to have such a fellowship with the fourth-years.