The Discernment of a Teen: Liberals or Cows?
>> Thursday, April 10, 2008
I remember when I first started talking to my fellow seniors about going to UC Davis. Their immediate response: "You like the smell of cows?" That's not to say that Berkeley doesn't have its own stereotypes, ranging from the staunch liberals to a snobbish student body. However, stereotypes aside, I have less than 3 weeks to make a decision between the two, (that is, IF God wants me to even go to a regular college)
What I find most appealing about Davis is how calm and relaxed the environment is compared to Berkeley. Walking around Davis is always nice because I can actually breath the air! I really like the small town feel of Davis and it really appeals to me. I really enjoyed the DRAMATIC libraries there (yes, I am a nerd at heart...but nerds will pwn all of you one day) and the fact that some were actually 24 hours, which Berkeley has yet to have. I'm not going to lie, I'll feel a lot safer walking 2 in the morning at Davis than Berkeley. Overall, I just really enjoy the beauty of Davis's campus and the overall feel it has to offer.
I also fell in love with the Newman center there. I know that if I go to Davis, I always have a nice (Catholic), quiet (always going to be snacks), place to study (pray and socialize). Meeting people like Ben and Mary really made me feel like I would be in good hands at Davis, spiritually and mentally. I also was really excited to help out at the Newman center. They have a lot of plans for renovating and improving their center and I would love to be a part of it. I also know that I would definitely be able to keep my focus, especially in my discernment for the seminary. So pretty much, going to Davis, I know that I already have a faith community (though it may be small) to help out and be with in between classes.
That's not to say that going to Berkeley will hurt my faith; I actually believe that neither college will side track my faith journey. Right off the back, I have the guidance of Ian in times of trouble (or when I need money). I also like the idea of having 2 of my good friends from my youth group as room mates in an apartment to keep each other in check.(Another thing is that Ian and Myra are working on the YFC there at Berkeley and are in need of people to help out. Hmm...)However, the Newman center, both serving as the campus chapel and parish, wasn't as welcoming as the Newman center at Davis. (Also, the architecture of the church in Berkeley just weirded me out when I first walked in. ie "Holey" alters) So in terms of faith, I believe both are equally equipped with having the elements to keep my faith journey from going astray.
One thing that really struck me about Berkeley was when Ian told me how Berkeley was the new "Athens" in the sense that there are so many ideas and people meeting in one place. A huge reason why I'm leaning towards going to college first is because I want to grow a little and gain a little life experience before I enter into the seminary. I feel like with that in mind, Berkeley would be a great place to be because they have so much going on there. Events ranging from various well known speakers, to participating in various clubs and organizations. However, when talking to Raj, several things came up. "What will I sacrifice to gain time for those experiences? Am I going to get caught up in the world easily? How important are those experiences to me?" All very legitimate questions that I'm still pondering over.
Even though the Berkeley environment is very fast paced and not as "natury" or "spacey" as Davis, I can still see myself living and getting used to that enviorment. I actually enjoy the city feel, (even though I'm totally not street smart or aware) and the fact that it IS Berkeley can't seem to leave my mind.
Of course, I still have a lot of things to look over in my head before I make a decision, but right now I feel like I really need to just pray over anything and truly be open to God's will. So I really encourage anyone with any sort of advice, questions, concerns, or even points that I may have overlooked, please please please comment me or tell me about them. God speaks through others, and anything would be great! Thanks again for having time to read this, take care.
Peace and Love Brothers and Sisters, (or in the words of some Berkley students, Peace and love to my Diverse Men and Womyn)
