Besides going to a Christian college, I also attended Illinois State University for 2 years. (Don't stop to do the math, because it will be very clear that it took me much longer than 4 years to finish school). And while I was so thankful for my time at a Christian college, I do not think I would have been as prepared to teach in the public school setting if it had not been for my time at ISU.
Going to ISU was my wake up call. I found out very quickly that what I believed was not what everyone else believed. While I was on my own at Lincoln, I was REALLY on my own at ISU. There was no curfew, no rules about where I lived, no RA's to look out for me. And while I did not always make the best decisions, I learned how to be a light in the darkness for God. Two events stand out in my mind vividly. The first was when I chose not to attend a play that my drama class was supposed to go to. I did not feel like the subject matter was appropriate, and I really felt like it was an opportunity for me to share with my professor about my faith. The second event was when I casually mentioned that I was a virgin to another classmate on the way to class. She was dumbfounded, saying she did not have any friends who were still virgins. Ha!
Beyond the actual university experience, going to ISU was the first place where I lived in an apartment. I cannot begin to recount the stories of the fun we had at 2412 Clearwater. In total, 9 girls rotated through there, and it was such a crazy time! I made lifelong friends, created memories, had some of the best conversations of my life, and learned a lot about heartache as well. I won't go into detail, but I did get my heart broken during this time. It was one of the hardest times of my life, but I will always remember the support of my friends as well as learning about leaning on God above all others.
Every experience is for a reason, and I am so thankful that I got to attend both a Christian college and a university! Go Redbirds!
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