College is full of decisions. What should I eat tonight? When should I do my homework? Do I really have to go to class? How should I spend my weekend? We are all on our own once we go away to college and we have a lot of control as to where we end up and the people we surround ourselves with. We determine our future. Anyone who knows me is fully aware that I am a worrier and I hate making decisions. What if it is the wrong one? Then what do I do?

Sometimes it is easier for me to make the decision to not put myself out there especially when it comes to socializing. I am a very outgoing person around my friends and family. I’m just not so good around large groups of people I don’t know. I’m not that person that everyone talks about and everyone knows. I’m not the person who can go up to anyone and just start a conversation. I am not the popular one. So of course when I got to college and had to make a decision about socializing, I wanted to stay in my dorm and not take the chance that I would be the awkward freshman. But I made a different decision. I chose to go to the St. Thomas More Newman Center barbecue and it changed my life…completely.

After asking several people to go with me and getting shut down, I walked to the quad with a pit in my stomach absolutely terrified (I literally thought I was going to puke). I did not know anyone but I walked up to a table and introduced myself to a group of women who were incredibly welcoming. I was then introduced to several people and eventually found a group of people to sit with. I was still a little nervous and wasn’t being very social. I was so scared of saying the wrong thing. The only thing that kept me there was the warm atmosphere of the people I was around and the happiness I saw in their faces. They were all friends. They all loved each other. And they were all filled with Christ. I could see it in them. It was unbelievable to see a huge community of faith that I could be a part of in such a large public university.

Since God could see I was still having a hard time socializing, He sent a freshman, just like me, my way. She sat next me on the picnic blanket and we got to talking. I felt so connected to her and so similar to her. I could tell we had the same values and I was reassured that this was the place for me. She later introduced me to other girls she had met at Newman. Even though I felt comfortable at Newman, I would have never gone to any Newman event by myself if I hadn’t met her. Thanks to her I had a friend to go with to other events and that helped me branch out and I met the friends I have today.

St. Thomas More Newman Center has changed me. I am stronger in my faith life than I ever have been because of the community and parish. I have friends that hold me accountable for my actions and commitments. I can feel and see the presence of God in all the students at the Newman Center. I am given so many opportunities to keep my faith life strong. Everyone there is helping each other grow in their relationships with Christ. The friendships I have made there have changed me and made me a better person. Newman is a huge reason as to why I started to love Mizzou so much. The people at Newman will meet you wherever you are at in your faith life. God will meet you wherever you are in your faith life. It does not matter. They are just happy to help people in any way that they can. I didn’t really expect to find a community of faith like that because I chose to go to a huge public college, especially after going to Catholic school all my life. I would have never guessed that I was going to grow in my faith that much at Mizzou.

That one decision I made led to so many other decisions that were surprisingly not hard because of the welcoming Newman community. That one decision changed my life. I am not a risk taker, but there was something pushing me to go to that barbecue that day. And because of where I am at today, I know it was God. So no, decisions are not easy for me, but the one decision in my life that I feel is a no brainer is to make time for God. Newman helps me to do that.And I guarantee if you make the same decision I did, Newman will help you too.