7 Quick Takes, vol. 3

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Bascom Hall at the UW, where I worked for 2 years as the student assistant in the Legal Services office.

All about Madison! I just graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison this spring, with degrees in history and religious studies. Growing up, going to college always meant going to the UW. I absolutely LOVED going to school at Wisconsin, and I will miss campus so much next year.

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Memories came flooding back all week as I saw the buildings where I had class or worked and the places I met with students for mentoring. Restaurants where we ate, the Union where we hung out, Bascom Hill where we would just sit and relax. Now, however, new memories have been made! Sitting down with my friends here, and sharing with them my vision and mission with FOCUS in Virginia. Seeing their excitement and joy on my behalf was exactly what my soul needed! The men and women at Wisconsin know firsthand the need to reach out to college students, and when they themselves are unable to physically go and fulfill the Great Commission, knowing that I am able to go and help provides joy and hope.

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I was able to eat at some of my favorite restaurants for the last time in the near future. Even though I ate out for both lunch and dinner for 5 days, I never ate at the same place twice! Cosi, the Med Cafe, Chipotle, Panera, Noodles, Sunroom Cafe, and many others.  I'm sure these places exist outside of Madison, WI, but the environment won't be the same. Thinking about it, I'm not sure it's the food that is the draw so much as the company and memories. Going to Einstein's Bagels with the girls I mentored. Or grabbing lunch at Chipotle after Mass on Sunday. The food is yummy, but the chance to sit down and relax with friends is what made State Street such a wonderful place.

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This week, however, did keep me on my toes! It was a constant rush of meeting people all over campus, and I loved every minute of it! Seeing campus was a flood of the familiar, but also curiosity at the new. There's always construction going on around here on campus, and some of the new buildings are finally done! It was a great reminder to see the new cafeteria downtown, the new dorm on lakeshore, the huge hole across from the Business school. Things change. This campus won't stand still just because I've left it.

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College is meant to be a transitory place. It is only supposed to last 4 or 5 years. Then we are meant to step off campus and apply what we've learned. It's definitely easier said than done, but even if I stayed, others wouldn't. Life moves on whether I want it to or not. Luckily, I'm part of the mission of FOCUS! So even though I won't be on this campus, I will still be at college. But college without the studying and exams!

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I am so glad I was able to spend a week in Madison before leaving for Virginia. It was so joyful to see many of the students and former students I grew to know and love over the past four years. I was especially glad to see two of the the women I had mentored this past year. Hearing them talk about the upcoming year, I know they will succeed, even without me here. It will be hard to leave them, since so much of my energy last year went into helping them, but there are new faces waiting for me in Virginia who will need me in ways that the women here don't.

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Unrelated, my team director Anthony and his wife Rosabel had a baby girl yesterday! Gemma Rose Christenson was born yesterday afternoon. I'm so excited to have a little baby in our FOCUS family next year at Mary Washington!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!