This past weekend I, along with about 30 of my peers, got to spend the weekend at Joy Ranch lutheran bible camp on the Augustana University Sophomore retreat. Sponsored by The Student Success center in collaboration with Campus Life and Campus Ministries, we spent an insightful and relaxing day and a half pondering our vocation or “calling” in life. Along with faculty, student mentors and other staff, we were able to talk about the deeper questions centered around our futures. Here are 4 reasons why I think if you get the chance to attend this time away, you should take it.

1.) The Faculty Speakers

Even though I have not had any of these guest professors in a class, they no doubt were my favorite part of the retreat. Each one had taken completely different paths in life from knowing exactly what they wanted to do since they can remember, to being in their 60’s and still asking themselves what they want to be when they grow up. I especially found a connection in the infamous Dr. Sandra Looney’s speech. Even though she is someone who has known what she wanted to do from the womb and I am someone who changes their answer every turn of the page, the ideas and phrases she uses to keep herself on track, living life the best she can, made me realize that even though some people's battles may look different than mine, they are still battles. I found peace in her words and peace in my battle.

2.) A refreshed love for Augustana

A common phrase I continued to hear throughout the week was how much of a home people felt like they had at Augustana University. In one of my small group sessions, one of the members said something that made me way too happy. She said that even though we weren't physically on campus, she still felt at home as if she was on campus. Hearing those words made me think about Augustana as a home, and that it wasn't just about the physical place, but the people. The people make it a home.

3.) Meeting new people

I’d say I know a pretty hefty amount of the students in the class of 2019, but once we sat down in a large group circle for the first time...I saw some faces I have never seen before! Not only did this retreat give me another opportunity to meet more of my peers. I was able to make deeper connections with them. In our small groups we skipped the surface questions and jumped right into asking deeper questions about each other. It was amazing how willing everyone was to open up and be vulnerable with each other so quickly. There was an immediate trust amongst one another.

4.) Time for yourself

If there's one thing about college that nobody tells you is that you’re never really alone. You wake up with your friends, work with your friends, eat with your friends, go to class with your friends, play intramurals with you friends then go home to your friends. When you find some alone time, it’s usually spent studying. This retreat was a much needed change of pace from the hectic college life. Having that time to really sit down and reflect on yourself in a secure environment without the distractions of others is exactly what every one of us need in our life. It was a time where I was able to talk about my fears and my faith and what I think I have been doing right and what I think I could continue to work on.

Sophomore year is hard. Nothing is really new anymore, your friends are changing, your mind is changing, your values are changing and soon you're going to have to start finding a real job. Yikes. Whether you have a clear plan or no plan at all just know that whatever path you do end up choosing, you can always change your course. Quite frankly, some of us may never truly discover what our calling in this life is. That just means we have more than one. In this maze we call life you are not alone in anything that you do. If it be relationships, school, or an internal struggle that is causing your path to become foggy, think about the purpose of that struggle. Think about why you are being called to go to this place or make this decision. You will find peace, in whatever it is, that you decide to do when you grow up.