As my first foray into blogging for CNU, I simply wanted to share why this university became my first choice and later, my dream school.
One word: community
If you’ve researched CNU the least bit, I’m sure you’ve heard this word and others like it thrown around profusely. However, there is definite reason for that. This may sound corny, but the moment I stepped on campus for a tour, I could sense how strong the community was. Everywhere I looked, I saw students of every variety chatting, rushing to class and eating together. Plus, they seemed to genuinely like each other. Their smiles were authentic, and their friendship was evident. I knew right away that if I chose CNU as my future home, I would easily find a community to plug into.
Surprise, surprise, I did!
Of course it wasn’t an immediate thing … freshman year did not start off with me instantly becoming BFFs with every single person in York River East. I didn’t have hordes of people to eat with in Regatta’s. Sometimes, I even walked to class by myself. But as the semester continued, it became easier and easier to grab lunch with the kids I sat next to in my American studies class and spend weekend nights watching movies with hallmates. Once that simple base was formed, I decided to check out some of the numerous clubs CNU has to offer. Seriously, if you want to meet people, swing by the Club Fair and pick five organizations to experiment with – chances are, you’ll click with at least one. Joining clubs allowed me to meet some of my best friends on campus, including the super fantastic girls I’m living with now.
It amazes me that in just a year, I’ve met so many people who have changed my life and who I am – all for the better. I live in a gorgeous suite in Warwick River Hall with the most encouraging, hilarious, slightly immature, yet always supportive friends. I love that we are all obsessed with the GameShow Network, a channel that CNU’s cable offers (yes!), and that any and every part of our days can be turned into a lifelong inside joke. And, the awesome thing is, our suite’s community is just a mirror to the community found within the greater CNU campus. Because of the compactness of our university, you are guaranteed to run into at least one friend on your way to the Trible Library – I love that!
I selected CNU for a multitude of reasons (close to home, its Master of Arts in Teaching Program, and gorgeous architecture, to name a few), but ultimately, the close-knit feel of the campus was what called my name the loudest. I chose CNU for its community; the wondrous thing is that the community here chose me back.
