Photo Essay

 

Make the Shift

Leaving for college is a concept that comes with many mixed emotions. Most students in high school are eager to “just move out and leave already.” Other students may be sad to let go of all the things that come with high school like the student section at all the football and basketball games, dances like homecoming and prom, pep rallies, and their sporting events. The reality of college hits you on your first night away, all alone in your dorm, after your parents have said their goodbyes. Many incoming freshmen will start to feel overwhelmed and get homesick. Personally, I am very much a homebody and a momma’s girl. For weeks leading up to move-in day, I would get so anxious at the thought of having to leave the house that I grew up in for eighteen years of my life. 

Organizations around campus have activities planned from the moment you open your eyes to start the day until two in the morning, allowing you to go back to your dorm and easily fall asleep. These activities are designed to help teenagers transition from living at home to living in college, whether the transition is being made from ten minutes away up to multiple hours. One of the organizations on campus is the Christian Student Fellowship, also known as CSF. “CSF isn’t a program. CSF is everywhere on campus,” (Marshall).

Tuesday, August 16th, there was a “Walking Taco Tuesday.” My friends from home and I went and got tacos and then talked to other incoming freshmen, getting to know everyone by learning their major and where they were from. CSF hosts a barn party the first Wednesday night after most of the students move in. They cook food and allow students to gather, eat and get to know each other. There is also a live band playing music and people teaching you to line dance. The live band played songs that my best friends and I loved. We were able to sing and dance and enjoy every moment. I met a group of girls and we all learned how to line dance together. This was something that I never saw myself doing at a church gathering, but it grew to be one of the most fun nights of my life. The following night, students all around campus are invited to come to the “CSF Luau.” The luau is a party from ten p.m. to two in the morning. Food is cooked, a DJ is booked, and students dance and mingle for hours. On Friday night, CSF hosts “midnight pancakes,” a pancake bar from eleven to one in the morning. The friends that I met over the course of the week through CSF are people that I still hangout with. I met Lexi at CSF and then we became each other's “first college buddy.” Lexi introduced me to her group of friends that she had met throughout CSF. These people immediately became my best friends. We now go to events together and help each other grow closer to God. 

 The picture to the left is a picture of Lexi and I at the Barn Party. We danced, sang, ate, and had the best time. 

 The picture above was taken at the Luau on Thursday night. There were over 6,000 kids that showed up to the Luau (UKCSF Instagram).

 After the first few nights of activities, campus slows down and so do the “parties.” CSF activities, however, do not stop. On Monday nights, incoming freshmen are invited to come to “Shift.” Shift is described as “...a weekly time for freshmen to find their niche. Each week we discuss important issues facing college students. Gather. Eat a free meal. Connect. And figure out where life with God fits into life at college,” (UKCSF). Shift starts at six on Monday nights. People gather, grab their food, and listen to a talk about bible verses and their faith. After these talks, freshmen gather in small groups with older leaders. These small groups play games like two truths and a lie and other small ice breaking games, get to know each other, and dive into a bible study. 

I got to interview one of my Shift group leaders, Taylor Anderson, to ask her all about what Shift means to her. I asked what made her get involved with CSF. Taylor responded, “I was looking for a campus ministry and heard about CSF through Facebook. I ended up going to their s’mores party event my freshman year and they were so welcoming and kind that I started going to all of their events after that.” Next, I asked Taylor how she went about becoming a Shift group leader, to which she replied, “I knew I wanted to help future freshmen have the same experience and first year that I had, I felt led to lead a group.” Finally, I asked Taylor what her favorite part about going to and leading Shift meetings. Taylor said, “Just getting to know more girls and developing friendships as well in a special and unique way.” The image to the left is my group. I meet with these people once a week to gather as a community to talk about our faith. 

My roommate and I went to Shift one night, and we had a “friendly competition.” It came down to the final two teams in it, and the announcer claimed that anyone who cut their hair would get an extra 20 points and win. I immediately volunteered, and we cut a few inches off of a strand in my hair. My team came home with a win! The picture on the right is my hair after being cut!

Going from living at home with your parents to living all alone in a dorm room, sometimes with a random person is not always the easiest transition to make. Getting yourself involved with a group on campus will often make you feel connected and help you to find your group. Going to Shift as CSF is a great way to make friends and grow in your faith. I hope that next year, I follow a calling to become a Shift group leader. I want to be able to connect with the following freshman class and hopefully make their transition into this big and scary thing we call college easier. 

Works Cited

Marshall, Brian. “Christian.” UK Faith, https://www.ukfaith.org/christian. 

“Shift.” Christian Student Fellowship, https://www.ukcsf.org/weekly/shift/. 

UKCSF. “CSF Luau 2022.” Instagram, 20 Aug. 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CheLzOSONLL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link. Accessed 23 Sept. 2022.