Category: Opinions

Categories
Opinions

Volleyball: The Sport For Life

Lindsay Seddon

I remember my first day of modified volleyball practice when I was in 7th grade. My mom, who played volleyball in high school and here at Houghton, encouraged me to give it a try. I remember the majority of my friends heading to the soccer field while I headed to the outdoor makeshift volleyball court since the girl’s varsity team had priority for gym time. I remember in those first few days of practice finding the sport really hard, but I wanted to keep trying since it captured my interest. I couldn’t get my serve over the net, passing and setting to target was nonexistent, and a “kill” wasn’t even in my vocabulary at that point. However, volleyball was different from other sports I played throughout my life, and it was the beginning of what became (and still is) a huge part of who I am. 

You see, volleyball is so positionally technical, yet each member of the team has a very important role in the sequence of the game. You can’t get a swing without a set, and you can’t get a set without a pass. Everyone needs to work together to make an organized play happen. Culturally, it’s always been a very polite sport since it’s non-contact, yet the power and aggressiveness especially when going up for a swing or serve can be brutal. When you break it down, volleyball is all about being organized as a team, dominating your position, and keeping the ball in play on your side at all times. I love that. 

They say volleyball is a lifetime sport, and I agree. For example, our assistant coach for the HUMVB team, David Bourne, plays for a 55’s and over team who qualified for nationals this past fall. The game changes as you get older, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play. Often you see older teams beat younger teams because their game IQ is so high from playing for so many years. They know how to change up the pace and read the opposing offense which keeps them one step ahead, positioning exactly where they need to be on the court at all times. Another example is our very own Men’s Volleyball team. We have a range of experience levels as a beginner program. However, when they brought home their first win in program history this past weekend, it proved you can pick up the sport and succeed when you train hard and work together as one unit. 

Someone once said that watching our high school varsity volleyball team play looked like a ballet. Not because of its delicate nature, but how we flowed and synced as a team on the court. That’s how organized we were as six individuals behind a 7’4” net working close together in a 30x30ft perimeter court. We knew each other’s tendencies and thought processes. Our setter tailored sets perfectly to each hitter for a flawless swing resulting in a kill. We knew when we were going flat how to reset and pick one another up; finishing what we started together. If we were out of system on the court, we knew as a team we had each other’s backs to better the ball for the next person to keep it in play. I had full faith in our defense because I knew they would never let a ball touch the floor. As a team we weren’t perfect, and we had our losses, but we built trust and respect for one another through it all, and that took us to heights we never imagined. I can see why this person thought it looked like a dance, because we knew how to work together.

After modified volleyball, I began the pursuit of earning an athletic scholarship when making the varsity team my freshman year. During those four years we won sectionals, regionals, and went to states. I played club volleyball all year round where we participated in tournaments across the country, and a dream was fulfilled when I received an athletic scholarship to play for the women’s volleyball team here at Houghton (this is when we were NAIA). To say I loved every minute of it all would be a lie, but how do you learn to work with others and grow in character when you aren’t challenged or go through setbacks? Sports in general are a great teacher of that. However, there is something about volleyball that is so unique. 

Volleyball is a game that takes you on emotional and mental highs and lows. In soccer or basketball a mistake can be quickly erased by stealing the ball back, etc., since the game is in constant motion. If you shank a serve in volleyball, that’s it. The point is gone forever and given to the other team. Between every point in the game of volleyball is the opportunity to mentally train yourself to keep moving forward or dwell on mistakes that can bring a whole team down. Momentum, communication, anticipation, and organization are key, and if you lose it, a team needs to work fiercely to get it back.

Seeing the sport grow over the last decade is proof that it’s rapidly capturing the interest of generations to come. 2023 saw the highest number of men’s volleyball programs added in the NCAA (including Houghton!). In August, a Nebraska Women’s Volleyball match broke the world record for the largest crowd ever in a women’s sporting event, beating the Women’s Soccer World Cup final crowd record just a few months earlier. And last week was the launch of the Pro Volleyball Federation, a professional league for women’s volleyball here in the USA. I love sports, but I love volleyball the most. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think volleyball is the sport for life, and I’m so thankful to know it. ★

Categories
Opinions

The Language of Music

By Katrina Kaufman

“Where words fail, music speaks.” This was the Hans Christian Anderson quote on my piano teacher’s wall before coming to Houghton. This is a quote that many musicians likely have come across, and while it may be overdone, it is not incorrect. Music contains power. Music can both heighten and express emotion. According to a neuroscientist, music has the power to rewire your brain chemistry. In my own life, music has helped me to process emotions as well as process hard truths in life. Music is soothing as well. We see this in the Bible when David soothes Saul’s inner demons. I recently learned that musicians are hired to choose/compose the best music in advertising to make sure that even the music helps convey the exact message that the advertising company is trying to convey to their audience.

Music also has the power to connect people. When a musician is able to be vulnerable and share themselves with their audience, the audience is able to connect both with the music and the musician. The joy of performing with other musicians on stage and getting to create music together rather than alone is a fulfilling experience that is unforgettable. 

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a class discussion where we dug deeper into questioning music. Something we discussed is the idea that music is not truly essential when it comes to survival. Back in the ancient days, cavemen were struggling to survive. They were fighting to live, and yet they still made rough instruments for themselves. While music was not essential to them the way food, water, and shelter was, music still filled a less tangible need they had. Our ancestors must have felt the need to have music as a vehicle to feel connected and a sense of community, as well as the use for spiritual purposes and not just social. Keith Richard said “Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones.” 

I believe we as humans make music because God put music inside of us. I believe I experience a little of God’s glory and awe when I am filled with awe soaking up all the beautiful music at a symphony. I also feel a sense of beauty and awe in my soul when I am listening to a beautiful soft rock song and feel a progression and cadence happening in the music. 

Another aspect of music that I love is its healing properties. Music helps people in their suffering. Music helps people to feel and process their emotions. Music also helps people to feel understood and validated in their suffering, therefore making them feel less alone and more seen and validated. One of the wonderful things about music is its ability to meet a person where they are at. A song that expresses the emotion or idea that a person is experiencing can help that person find more meaning in their suffering and give them courage to keep moving forward.

Most importantly, music can connect us to God through the act of Worshiping. Koin is an excellent way at Houghton to experience connecting to God through Worship music. As a Performance major, I have been exploring what it means to worship God through the act of pursuing excellence in music as an act of worship and devotion. I really appreciate the atmosphere at the Greatbatch School of Music and how the music professors live out what it means to be a Christian musician who is making music for God’s glory rather than a secular music school that provides an environment where self-glorification is easy to pursue, or where music is worshiped rather than God. I value GSOM’s commitment to putting Christ first and creating a healthy environment to grow aspiring musicians. ★

Categories
Opinions

Good Tidings & Good Grief

By Molly Connolly

As the holiday season runs its course, we see familiar scenes of warmth: being wrapped up in flannel and knit blankets, lilting melodies drifting through the air with warm sugar and spice scents swirling around us. We see friends and family gathered around tables filled with favorite foods as good conversation and love abounds. However, in those beautiful moments of fellowship and company, it can sometimes make the spaces once taken up by loved ones who aren’t with us anymore that much more obvious.

Grief in a season marketed on the basis of curating an exuberant display of joy, excitement and sociability can make an already incredibly complex experience that much more difficult to process. The ever-looming pressure to be a chipper Kris Kringle for Christmas can make the growing and groaning of grief feel Grinchy. If we’re lucky enough to not be the ones grieving, which can be complicated in its own right, seeing friends, family or loved ones in pain, being distant, or just not quite being themselves can be tense, awkward or even isolating, not just for us, but for all involved. 

I want to encourage all of us to take those tense or awkward moments, or the moments where we feel alone in our grief, and embrace the heart of our hurt. When we are missing the loved ones we no longer gather with, I want us to reflect on the memories and traditions we had with them. Continue those traditions or make new ones in remembrance of them. Allow yourself to be sad, angry, and hurt when those feelings come up. You do not owe anyone the comfort of convenient emotions, and you deserve to feel fully and deeply in all circumstances.

 For those who are not grieving but have someone close to us who is living with grief, don’t be afraid to be beside them at this time. Be a constant and supporting presence. Ask them about their lost loved one. Don’t force a silver lining, but give them a way to share the love they have for the person they are missing. In those moments we are given the bittersweet blessing of getting to share this love, and learn about the love we wouldn’t have been able to experience without that person.

There isn’t any right way to process loss and there isn’t a set way to support someone going through that process, but I urge each and every one of us to take those opportunities to grow closer together rather than to shy away from those “uncomfortable” or “inconvenient” emotions. Instead, embrace it all throughout the holiday season. Ways we can incorporate the grieving process can take a myriad of different forms, whether that’s trying to follow their famous cookie recipe, watching their favorite Christmas movie, singing along to their favorite seasonal songs, hanging up their stocking and filling it with some of their favorite snacks. Regardless of its form, let that love be lifted up in ways the season already encourages. Let laughter, tears, and everything in-between flow freely and make space for those feelings to be felt for those around you. ★

Categories
Opinions

Christmas Music in November

By Abigail Young

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t love Christmas music. I can get into the holiday spirit as much as the next person—at least toward the end of December. However, hearing Christmas music in the early weeks of November tends to get on my nerves. It still looks like fall outside, and I don’t appreciate having early Christmas cheer encroach on my favorite season, fall. Christmas music is also largely the same every year (Mariah Carey). Especially when it’s played for two whole months before Christmas day, it can get a bit old and is not as enjoyable when it’s actually Christmas time. 

This seems to be a widely debated topic at Houghton. In the last few days and weeks, I have overheard many conversations in the dining hall, dorms, and even a chemistry lab about whether we should start playing Christmas music now or wait until after Thanksgiving. Some of these have been surprisingly heated. Those who want to start playing Christmas music in November often claim that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a particular genre of music or beginning to celebrate Jesus’ birth early. Those who would rather wait tend to point out that much of the Christmas music being played is more related to commercialism than Christ’s birth. Personally I prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving to start playing Christmas music. This is partially due to personal preference, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with starting to play Christmas music in early November. However, I think waiting to play Christmas music until at least after Thanksgiving could help us appreciate November and Thanksgiving more and might make Christmas more meaningful. 

November at Houghton can be a difficult month. The weather is cold and miserable, and this time in the semester, October break (which was too short anyway) is far behind, while Thanksgiving break is not close enough. We have deadlines closing in and an endless burden of assignments to finish. Even while we may enjoy friendships, classes, and the many other gifts Houghton has to offer, a lot of us are waiting for classes to end and Christmas break to start. Some people probably start playing Christmas music in early November to feel happier and start looking forward to the Christmas season. However, I think playing Christmas music this early may cause us to skip over November to get to Christmas, and I think there is something to be said for living in the present moment, even if the present moment isn’t our favorite. Even though November can be cold, stressful, and boring, there are still good things happening. It might be harder to appreciate those good things if we are already starting to celebrate Christmas. Waiting to play Christmas music might help us look forward to and enjoy Thanksgiving more, which is sadly often overlooked. Also, spending some time waiting before starting the celebratory aspect of Christmas might help us to appreciate Christmas more and understand the meaning of it better when it does come. 

Waiting is a theme of the Christian life, especially during Advent, where we remember how the Israelites waited for a Messiah and also how we are waiting for Christ’s return. I have often heard in chapel and elsewhere at Houghton that waiting is something that can help us grow and become closer to God. November can also be a time of waiting. I think we often want to skip over things that are boring, unpleasant, or cause us to wait. However, even though November is not the most pleasant month, maybe we could use it as a time to grow and specifically try to notice God’s presence within us. ★

Categories
Opinions

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

By Joshua Armstrong

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1: 1). These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20: 31).

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1: 1). And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1: 27). And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1: 31). Then sin came into the world through one man, for as in Adam all die (1 Corinthians 15: 22) and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned (Romans 5: 12) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23). All are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “The way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3: 9-12, 17-18). And the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness (Isaiah 5: 16). And Jesus who is lord of lords and king of kings (Revelations 19: 16) is to judge the living and the dead ( 2 Timothy 4: 1). 

However, mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2: 13). For ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty’ (Numbers 14: 18). 

For I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15: 3-4), and that he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high interceding for those who are in the faith (Romans 8: 34) (Hebrews 1: 3). For God So loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3: 16). Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him (John 14: 6). For there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4: 12). For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6: 23). For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10-11).

A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (Galatians 2: 16). For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” — so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Galatians 3: 10-14). For by grace we have been saved through faith. And this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2: 8-10).

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5: 11, 14, 15, 16-21). ★

Categories
Opinions

Enjoying Houghton

By Anna Catherman

“In for the Highlanders is #24, Hannahhhhhhh Smith!” I grinned and pumped my fist as my sinkmate jogged out onto Burke Field. Our friend Anna and I quietly “analyzed” the game, laughing at our soccer illiteracy. We walked back, amazed at the beauty and warmth of the October night. When Hannah got back, arms full of balloons and Senior Night gifts, she thanked me for coming. Later, I received a text from Anna: “Thanks for dragging me out of my hole 🙂 it was nice to be outside.” It was a wonderful way to spend a Wednesday night – one I wouldn’t have considered weeks earlier.

I had obligations on Wednesday nights: Student Council, then Jumping I Club Time. But three weeks into the semester, my life shattered. Literally. A freak fall off a horse sent me to the hospital with multiple broken bones. Once I got back to campus, I was left with a gaping hole. No more evenings riding under the lights. No more Saturday morning scrambles to the barn. My body demanded rest.

The change in routine has brought an unexpected blessing: an opportunity to rediscover the abundant joys of the Houghton community.

In the hours I would’ve spent in the saddle, I helped at Harvestival. I hung out at the English and Writing Open House. I marched in the Homecoming Parade. I listened to vocal performances at Studio. And for the first and last time, I watched a friend play soccer. These moments and a recent class discussion got me pondering how important “student engagement” is – and how little we students think about it.

As a senior, I can look back and see how the events, clubs, and activities I’ve attended have shaped my time here. They’ve introduced me to close friends, taught me new things about the world, and made me laugh. They’ve encouraged me to pick up a second major, helped me grow my faith, and helped me through a frustrating, painful, one-armed semester. It’s easy to “hole up” in our rooms, our favorite study spaces, our areas of expertise – especially as upperclassmen. But if we’re too focused on our niches, we miss out on the rich, diverse experiences that Houghton has to offer.

My classmate Keiryn recently wrote an essay on the word “abundance.” She noted that “[a]bundance, as a word, begs an energetic enjoyment of blessings.” On our campus, “abundance” is 24 clubs, 17 sports, 46 majors, and six graduate degree programs. “Abundance” is floor events and Midnight Breakfast and chapel and SPOT and faculty lectures and Lyric Theatre and the rock wall and Koinonia. “Abundance” is 705 main-campus students, 58 teaching faculty, 11 non-teaching faculty, and 109 staff, each made in the image of God, all with different stories, viewpoints, and skills. Of course, taking part in every aspect of the abundance that God has given us here at Houghton is impossible. But we can proactively seek to “energetically enjoy” the blessings around us. 

The next time you’re feeling stressed or burnt out, I urge you: if your diploma isn’t at stake, take a break. Get out of your hole. Call that paper “good enough.” Cancel your plans for an extra practice ride. Instead, find a friend to support. Stop by a professor’s office just to say hi or thank them. Go for a hike. Sit with someone new at dinner. Attend an event outside your wheelhouse. And enjoy the abundance. ★

Categories
Opinions

Reflections on Halloween

By Johanna Lamont

As Halloween approaches, I think back to my childhood and reflect on how my family interacted with the holiday. We were never the type of people who would dress up and go trick or treating, or as the churches around home called it, “Trunk or Treating.” We never really did anything for Halloween except the occasional Addams Family marathon. The candy, costumes, and history of the event were never of much importance to us, and holidays were never a priority in general. The one thing that stands out about it was my mother’s exasperation at the amount of candy people would give to her children. We often had candy cleanses after the month of October, where we would purge the house of excess candy unless it was M&M’s. 

Now, as I am older and am embracing holidays with my own twist on tradition, I have to rethink how I see Halloween. I finally get the chance to break out from my family’s tradition and make the holiday my own. The holiday itself has roots in the pagan celebration of Samhain, but the modern celebration of Halloween in America has little to do with pagan rites and celebrations. The holiday has been turned into a consumerist event, with companies marketing their costumes and candy like their lives depend on it. Halloween is generally a night spent with friends and is full of fun and mischief. We’ve adapted this pagan holiday into a holiday that suits our modern mentality, and in doing so, we’ve sacrificed the original meaning of it. This new reincarnation of the holiday holds no real moral meaning to it. There should be no guilt in someone’s conscience for dressing up and having fun with friends. I think that Halloween is a fine holiday with a lot of potential for fun. However, like any situation, it can be taken and used for wrong things. 

I plan on dressing up for Halloween this year, enjoying the day with friends, and embracing the time to play and have fun. I don’t get the opportunity to dress up and embrace my love of fictional worlds every day, so this is an exciting holiday for me. I think that when dealing with holidays like Halloween that have complicated pasts or assumptions tied to them, it’s best to consider your own opinion and moral convictions. I don’t find anything wrong with celebrating Halloween, but for someone else, there might be an experience or conviction tied to the holiday that could cause an issue or distress for them. For me, it’s all about how I approach the holiday, what I carry in my heart, and intentions toward it. If I approached Christmas with a heart of selfishness or greed, I could turn the holiday surrounding the celebration of Christ’s birth into a day of sin. The intentions and desires of our hearts determine how we interact with and respond to holidays and celebrations. Halloween can be used for ill, as you can use the mystery and chaos of the holiday to harm others or cause distraction and fear. 

Overall, I like the freedom of dressing up and appreciating the candy sales. I love the cheap chocolate, looking through Halloween aisles, coordinating costumes with friends, and watching cheesy movies. The holiday is corny and full of fun traditions that are waiting to be embraced. It’s a non-demanding holiday. There is no pressure to participate, and it has enough variations in how it’s celebrated that anyone can find a way to enjoy it. I think that this is a time of year that I will continue to look forward to in the future and create my own spooky traditions for. I think that my inner Addams will always enjoy the spooky, mischievous gloom of Halloween – with or without the candy. ★

Categories
Opinions

First Impressions: Houghton Through the Eyes of a Freshman

By Abigail Hoover

Well, Highlanders, we are already halfway through the semester! The time has just flown by, and before you know it, it’ll be finals season, and we’ll be saying goodbye to one another until the new year! But before we jump too far into the future, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the year we’ve had so far. So, let’s get started, shall we?

Let me start with my story. I am a freshman in college. I am majoring in Adolescent Education and History so that I can become a U.S. History teacher someday. And I did not want to go to Houghton, at least I didn’t a couple of years ago. On Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day in my junior year of high school, I visited Houghton with my family and my best friend. While I loved the campus and the people were so welcoming and friendly, I was not convinced that this was the school for me. 

You see, my parents went to Houghton, as well as my grandma. They all wanted me to go here—the price had just gotten cut in half, and it wasn’t too far from home after all. But as their enthusiasm for me going to Houghton grew, mine diminished. You see, I didn’t want to do what my parents wanted me to do—I wanted to pave my own path. I had felt that throughout my life, I had always agreed with my parents and just simply made decisions based on what they thought. Not because they didn’t want me to have my own opinions, it was actually just because I trusted them to always be right. But as this important decision in my life came looming over me, I was determined to decide for myself where I wanted to go, and not to listen to what other people wanted. And what I wanted was to not go where my family had gone. Like I said, I wanted to make my own path. I wanted to go to a big school, like Liberty University. It was shiny and trendy; everyone knew of it—Liberty seemed more impressive than a little college in a little town in Western New York. I grew up in a small town; I went to a small church and a small school. Everything in my life was so small. I just wanted to do something big for once. 

But that wasn’t what God wanted for me. Slowly but surely, He showed me that Houghton was where I belonged. Going off to college used to be the scariest thing in the world for me to imagine. But when I thought about Houghton, it was different. Houghton became the only college that I wasn’t utterly terrified of attending. There was a peace about it that could only be explained as being from God. And soon enough, He started opening doors for me as well. The price of tuition being cut in half just in time for me, the Founder’s Promise Scholarship being first introduced to my class, the greater emphasis being put on being a Christ-centered college rather than just a Christian one—everything was just lining up perfectly for me to be able to attend Houghton and the school seemed to just be getting better and better (Thanks President Lewis!). You see, God knew what I couldn’t see. He knew that despite it also being my parent’s alma mater, it really was the best fit for me. He knew that I didn’t actually belong in a big college where I would get swallowed up by the crowd. He knew that I needed to go to a small college in a small town where the people really care about me and where I can be a part of a tight-knit community. He knew that I wouldn’t actually like being so far away from my family without the opportunities to go home or to my aunt and uncle’s every few weekends. God, as He always does, knew what was best for me even when I couldn’t see it.
I’m so glad He did. Being here, my faith has only grown. Through Koin, MercySeat, Communion, my Biblical Literature class, and chapel services throughout the week, I have had more opportunities to spend time with Him than ever before. We pray every day in my classes, and I have been reading my Bible a lot more often than I did before college. This place has provided me with the chance to really harvest and grow in my faith. While I know Houghton will change my life by granting me a degree and life-long relationships, this will be the most valuable thing I gain out of college. I feel so very blessed to go to such a Christ-centered college where I can really grow in my faith, and I cannot wait to see all the ways in which God continues to work in me during my time here. 

This place is really filled with so many Godly, wonderful people, and I feel so lucky to be a part of the Highlander community. Since being here, God has only confirmed to me that this is where I am meant to be. Throughout all my doubts and fears about Houghton and college in general, God has always confirmed this to me. This is the place where I will make great friends and great memories, become closer to Christ than ever, and see growth in myself like I have never seen before.  

See all that God has done in your life, how He was there for you through it all, and how He always will be there for you. Remember that He loves you. This will give you the strength to keep going throughout all of the inevitable ups and downs that college brings. ★

Categories
Opinions

Fresh in the Fall

By Grace Hall

Hey guys, my name is Grace Hall! I am excited to be the new freshman class representative! Thank you for voting for me and for giving me this opportunity. I am super excited to serve you guys in this way and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for our class. As your representative, I am happy to hear any suggestions you may have to help improve our class and campus. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. 

A few things about me are that I love nature and creation. I believe we are very fortunate to live where we do. The beautiful sunsets and sunrises and the bright stars at night have always captivated my attention. I am looking forward to the leaves changing. Western New York is known for its beautiful colors in the Fall. I have lived in Portville, NY, my whole life, which is a little town 15 minutes from Olean. I love where I live and I am so thankful for the beauty of this campus. We truly are blessed to have such a gorgeous school. I am passionate about studying God’s Word and worshiping Him in every area of my life. I love music, singing, and playing the piano. I have four amazing brothers who I adore. We live on a farm and have lots of cute cows. I love tacos and iced coffee. I love chasing sunsets and stargazing. I am passionate about making sure others feel valued and seen. I care deeply about people and truly want to help you guys in any way I can. 

Coming to Houghton has been such a God thing. I am confident that the Lord has brought me to Houghton for such a time as this! I am majoring in Inclusive Childhood Education because I love working with kids and want to help them succeed in this life. My plan is to graduate in 2027 with my bachelors degree and hopefully jump right into teaching at a school. 

I hope to serve and represent our class with excellence. I am excited to plan events and get everyone involved. Above all, I will strive to bring glory to God in all that I do as the representative for the freshman class because that’s what we are called to do!

I am passionate about helping people and leading with confidence and integrity. In high school, I was involved in student council and really enjoyed leading in that way. I am aiming for organization and structure. I have had my fair share of dealing with conflict and resolution and I am devoted to helping out my classmates and making sure their voice is heard and that they feel seen. I have had some of my classmates already express event ideas that could bring our class together and encourage us to get to know one another, such asKaraoke nights, bible studies, and game nights! A goal of mine is to implement an in depth bible study that encourages others in their faith and where we can dig into the Word together. Transitioning into college is a huge change, and having some type of support group and encouragement can be very beneficial. Some leadership skills that are necessary to attain are honesty, kindness, and consistency. It is also very important to be good at communicating, which I am confident that I can do well. 

Being a member of the Student Council comes with a whole group of upperclassmen that I can come to with issues that I or my fellow classmates may have. It is so encouraging to know that I have the support from other class representatives and other members of the Student Council. 

What I want to do with my position is to make the freshman class the best it can be. I want to encourage others to ask for help when they need it and to be fearless in the face of adversity. Life is full of trials and tribulation but as Christians, we have a hope and His name is Jesus. We are called to share His name with others and I believe that being the class rep will allow me to encourage others to be bold in their faith and to keep on fighting the good fight. There are going to be struggles we encounter, but I know that with perseverance and prayer, God will lead us through every late night spent studying for that test and every bit of drama with that classmate you really don’t like. I never want to be outside of His will for me. I am praying that He will guide and lead me and I am praying the same for all of you. I am excited to see what God has planned for the freshman class. I am confident that He has good things in store. Plans to prosper us and to help us, plans to give us a hope and a future! He has always been faithful in the past and I am confident that He will be faithful now. What a loving and merciful God that we have. ★

Categories
Opinions

Stress, Rest, and Sabbath

By Christian Welker

A new semester has begun with all the stresses and anxieties we have come to expect, from the first-year students who are still learning about college life to the seniors who are starting their long sprint to the finish line, looking so near and yet so far at the same time.

Rest assured, this will not be a “Just give it to God” article. The Sparrows and Lillies don’t have a German test in an hour or a concert a week from today.

I firmly believe that the Lord is and always will be the ultimate source of peace for his children. However, I’m also willing to admit that in places like this, it often feels as though the very act of giving up your stress to God is a requirement that brings its own anxieties. It’s hard to lean on the peace of God while counting how many Around the Tables you still need to go to, or dragging yourself out of bed to get to church on the one day you would have been able to sleep in more, or even sitting in Chapel, worrying about the test you have during your 12 o’clock class that you really need to study more for.

At a place like Houghton, sometimes it can feel like trying to get the peace of God only helps drive it away. Professors talk about how students need to take Sabbath more and then give you 60 pages of reading and a paper to do before Monday morning. However, something I learned in my time at Houghton is that God doesn’t limit rest to going to church on Sunday and then sitting around doing nothing in the afternoon. Rest and Sabbath can be wherever you can fit it into your schedule. A Sabbath for me is Tuesday evening Nerf Nights in Roth. On the surface, it doesn’t seem relaxing to charge up three flights of stairs, blast random guys with toy guns, and then run back down to start over. However, it’s a time when I can put due dates and projects to the side for an hour or two and enjoy fellowship with my hallmates. We don’t tend to think of times like that as Sabbath because it doesn’t feel like God is there. Yet it provides the mental rest that we need as we continue on in the week.

These small moments are Sabbaths that students can take wherever and whenever they can. It doesn’t have to be weekly. If something needs to be done by Wednesday morning, you would be much more likely to find me in a study room than the trenches of Roth’s first floor, but having those times that you can set aside for your physical and mental health is important. Without times like these, you run the risk of burning yourself out or making yourself sick right before the big paper is due.

Is it good to rest on a Sunday after church? Of course! But it’s also good to take some time on Wednesday to watch your favorite TV show, spend Friday evening playing games with friends, or even just lay down on a bed or couch and relax between one class and the next. It may not add up to a whole day of rest, but taking a Sabbath where you can will help as we continue throughout the semester.

Rest can be found in the Chapel, but it can also be found in study rooms or dorm rooms, in the woods or on the quad, or anywhere where a student closes their textbook for a few minutes and thinks:

“You know what? I earned a break, and I’m going to lay down.” ★