Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to once again travel to Camp Brookwoods in New Hampshire with Cru for our annual Fall Retreat. Students from all over Boston lug their camping gear to the nearest meet-up spot to catch a bus that will bring them to one of the most magical spots in New England. From Freshmen to Graduate students you are bound to find people from all walks of life. You can find political science majors from Wellesley, engineers from MIT, musicians from Berkley, filmmakers from Emerson, and history majors from Brandeis. We are at all different points in our life and all have unique passions. Some are music lovers from the New England Conservatory while others are passionate social justice activists from BU. Our stories, our experiences, and our interests may be different, but we all have one thing in common: we are on a journey to explore our faith.

When you cross the border into New Hampshire and realize you are far enough away from your everyday life to unplug and reflect, there is an overwhelming sense of calm that seems to overcome your entire being. I attended last year’s fall retreat as a nervous Freshman who knew absolutely no one and was still trying to find where I belonged. I knew a few people from Wentworth from going to my weekly life group and a handful of Boston University students from BU Live events (where we would discuss our faith over coffee and live music). Although I knew these wonderful people, I didn’t really know myself.

Over the course of 3 days, I noticed a gradual change in myself. I tried to meet new people and go outside of my comfort zone. Having a friend with me from back home, who also went to college with me, made it easier to say hello to new people. I met some really amazing guys from MIT and a wonderful girl from Northeastern on a boat ride around Lake Winnepesauke who ended up making my trip really memorable. They were kind and welcoming even though they had no clue who I was. They were open about their faith and their lives, which, in turn, helped me be open about mine. I got closer with my friends from Wentworth and learned even more about them and their own faith journeys.

We were given an opportunity to have some quiet time to reflect on each day’s lesson. I chose to sit down on a rock overlooking the beautiful lake to journal about my thoughts and feelings. I was able to finally put my thoughts and feelings regarding my faith onto paper. It was such a refreshing feeling to be able to be in charge of my faith and let go of what other people thought. I made my faith my own and grew as a result.

This year, my goal was to continue to grow. This year I wasn’t a nervous Freshman trying to find her way. I was a Sophomore, eager to learn more and hear about other people’s stories. I wanted to get to know my fellow Simmons Cru members better. I wanted to reflect on the past year and all of the experiences that I had had leading up to this retreat. I wanted to process the feelings that I had had regarding some truly heartbreaking experiences that I had recently dealt with. And luckily for me, thats exactly what happened-and more.

The first day there I connected with the girls from Simmons. I told the Freshman all about my experiences from last year and they were so eager to experience it for themselves. I had deep conversations with them and the older members of the Simmons Christian Fellowship group. We grew closer and closer each day, learning more about each other with every interaction. We laughed over funny things that we had seen or heard over the course of the weekend and introduced each other to our new friends. I had a very thoughtful conversation with a girl from Wellesley about politics and about what life was like for her back home in Swaziland. I bonded with a guy from Emerson who made me laugh and challenged me to grow in my faith. I worked out about The Office and Frank Sinatra with a guy from MIT at a bonfire. I danced to Drake with another guy from MIT at that very same bonfire and then was later surrounded by almost every other person from MIT who then began to sing songs from The Lion King. I woke up at 6AM to see the sunrise before going to early prayer with my new friend from Simmons. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see anything.

The experiences and friendships that I made during those few days changed me once again. These wonderful people and our fantastic speaker challenged us to grow in our faith and to find our true passion in life. I was more open with some of these people, who were complete strangers to me before Friday, than I am with some people whom I have known for years. There is something to be said about faith. I have learned to be more thankful for the little moments in life and the brief interactions that you have with people. You can change someone’s life with a simple “hello” or “how are you?” During our everyday lives it is hard to take the time to sit down with someone and have a meaningful conversation, but I believe, now more than ever, it is so important to take the time to do so. You never know the impact that you may have on someone or even what you may learn from them. Always try to go outside of your comfort zone and try something new.

God has been so wonderful to me. I understand that Christianity is not for everyone, and I completely respect that. But for me, it is my way of healing. I can turn to God in times of heartbreak for comfort. Seemingly simple versus can bring me out of darkness. I have been blessed with wonderful friends and family who have changed my life for the better. I am thankful for the people whom I have met, the stories that I’ve heard, and the experiences that I have survived, for without them, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. And this weekend really showed me just how blessed I am to live on this earth. Though all of life’s trials and tribulations, I know that I will forever have my faith to catch me if I fall.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1: 7

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.” Psalm 118:14

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