The First Week

I am now in college. It’s awesome, and I'm loving it.


I arrived two weeks ago on a warm Sunday afternoon, moved in, met people, and parted from my parents after a few sentimental moments.

The first night I found myself sitting happily in my dorm while my roommate and others from the floor went out to party at the fraternities. That came as a little bit of a surprise. I had no doubts that partying would be abundant, but I guess I expected people to wait a little longer before feeling comfortable enough to look for it. Nope. Five hours is more than enough time to get acclimated.


Aside from a little bit of surprise, I wasn’t really fazed by this. I’ve enjoyed the quiet evenings, glad that the noise is contained elsewhere.

Over the first couple of days, I managed to make some good acquaintances that I enjoyed talking to, and felt like I was doing well socially. I consistently stepped outside my comfort zone and started conversations that could have easily been avoided. These people were genuinely nice.

I slowly began to acquire a sense, however, that our like-mindedness was fairly limited in areas that were important to me. Specifically, these people that I began to consider friends were rather closed off to spiritual ideas. This was never explicitly stated, but it was fairly clear based on passing comments that were made. Any time the word ‘Christian’ was uttered, it seemed to be peppered with disdain. The most obvious lack of regard occurred when some friends and I were given a few fliers for a Christian event taking place the next day. My acquaintances scoffed, thinking it ridiculous that Christians would gather in an attempt to have fun. I was rather outnumbered, so I just stayed quiet as they discarded the fliers like so much trash.

A very compact $450

I began to feel like I was the only person on my team. I could blend in and socialize, but I knew that all around me were people who did not share the core beliefs that drive my life. Somehow it felt different than High School, where just as many people differed in beliefs. Here people resisted religion instead of just ignoring it. I no longer had the vast network of friends and circumstances that made my faith such a constant part of life back at home. I felt suddenly alone in a university of 30,000 nice people.

My first class of college. ~350 in attendance.

I did have hope, however. I was struck by the contrast between the seemingly secular environment and the myriad of signs advertising various Christian groups on campus. I asked myself repeatedly, “How can there be so many Christian groups in a place with so few Christians?” You might guess which part of that statement reflected my ignorance (it was the latter).

I went to one of the first events I had the opportunity to attend at the end of my third day on campus. “Something in a Mug” it was called. You go, get a free mug, fill it with your favorite beverage, and meet some people who happen to be Christian. It was Christian, but not obnoxiously so. Sounded good.

As I approached the house where the event was to take place, I was nervous. I hoped so badly that I would be able to really vibe with these people. I knew I could make some conversation, but I was ready to meet people I could relax with.

Bikes are the big thing at Davis. There are supposedly 2.1 bikes for each person in Davis.

I arrived and was immediately welcomed. Within minutes my sense of isolation vanished. I was surprised to learn that there were Christians there from my dorm. I was not the only Christian on my floor, let alone the vast campus. At the end of the first week of school, there was a worship night sponsored by all the different fellowships. They packed out the largest lecture hall on campus. It may not be even close to the majority, but the number of Christians on campus is much greater than the general atmosphere first made it seem. Every day I seem to encounter more people of faith when I least expect it. Conversations seem to naturally lead in that direction here. It’s kind of funny.

I went on a hike at Lake Berryessa with some guys from Davis Christian Fellowship. Cool dudes.

I don’t want to leave the impression that I have any problem associating with people who want nothing to do with God. Hopefully I can show them that it’s not just for crazy people, as so many here think. But just knowing I’m not the only one on my “team” helps when I would otherwise feel isolated.

That’s about all I feel compelled to write about at the moment. I’ll post updates on more “school” stuff when it seems like a good time. Here are a few more pictures to give some more details until then.

Part of the beautiful UC Davis Arboretum. It's 1.5 miles of "living museum" along this creek. Plants are sorted by native region, so there are plants from all over the world there. It's a very peaceful bike ride.

The California redwood section of the Arboretum. Probably my favorite part.

I scored a bike at a yard sale in Davis for $40. It could use a few improvements but it has reduced my travel time immensely.