In my first few weeks at school here, I realized that I had a problem: I didn’t know what to do with myself on the weekends.

In high school, I went to school Mon-Fri and came home on evenings and weekends. Now, I actually LIVE at school, which sometimes makes it feel like school and school work is inescapable. All the stuff I used to do to have fun during my free time was gone. My friends are spread around the country now and my family is back home along with my bike. I can’t go for long rides around my neighbourhood anymore. I can’t call up my best friends and go see a movie or just hang out together and I can’t just do something spontaneous with my little brother and sister.

When this hit me during the first couple of weeks, it was a little depressing. Sure, I went out to some of the fun events planned like AMS Firstweek and stuff like that. But while lost in the crowd at Paint Party, I realized it just wasn’t the same going out without my wingwomen, the girls who had been by my side for years. So I kinda stopped going out and just did homework on the weekends, especially as the pace was picking up in my classes.

I was lonely and for the first time I can really remember, I had to put effort into making friends. I’m glad that I have a roommate, otherwise I probably would have spent even more of my time with myself. Sometimes it feels like I only exist within the four walls of my dorm room. I can spend almost full days there, especially when studying for midterms and such.

Now to cut off this mopey monologue before it gets any sadder, I should tell you that there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

One day during the first week of September I happened to be walking along East Mall near the bookstore. I looked over and saw a couple girls standing at a table looking friendly. They probably had a sign announcing the club they represented, I can’t remember anymore. Without really thinking about it, I decided to cross the street and hear what they had to say.

That was probably the best decision I’ve made since coming to university.

Before I moved to the campus, I knew that I wanted to get connected with a Christian community. At Imagine Day, I had gone to most of the Christian clubs’ booths, but none of them felt right, so I was a little discouraged. When I stopped at these girls’ booth that day, I found out that they represented University Christian Ministry.

They were friendly, one of them complemented the purple in my hair (that might have a little something to do with why I liked them so much) and after talking about churches in the area they told me they were having a free BBQ that Friday. I decided to go because, why not? It was free and I’d meet some people. It turns out that my roommate was going too, and I think that might’ve been how I found out she was also a Christian. Going to that BBQ set in motion a chain of events that leads me to today, many friends richer and a lot less lonely.

That journey will be covered in Part 2, so stay tuned…

Liz