I started college 10 years ago this week. I remember the day I moved in; I even remember what I was wearing – a purple stripped polo shirt and kahki shorts. I moved into East Hall at Dordt. I tend to be dramatic, so walking out of my childhood home that Saturday morning was a bit intense. My mom, trying to lighten my already-nervous mood, said, “Say goodbye, Kels.” Oh my, was that tragic!

My dad drove the pick-up, the back full of stuff. My mom and I drove the car. I remember my mom telling me on the way there that I could always tell them if college wasn’t working. “You can always try it, but don’t be afraid to tell us if it’s too much for you.” I wasn’t so into talking at that point, so I just nodded and said, “Yea, I know”

My roommate and her parents were there when we arrived at the dorm. Rachel and I clicked right away, an answered prayer. The work then began of hauling all my stuff in. the dorms had loft built into them, but we decided that probably wasn’t a good idea for me. Therefore, we moved a single bed into the room. That, obviously, made our small room even smaller. When we move the couch in beside my bed, the room got even smaller!

My parents said goodbye to a very timid girl that day. I don’t know what they were thinking on their way home, but I was sure I’d be home in the course of a week. Since I was a youngster, I said I wanted to go to college. I wanted to follow in my sister Amy’s footsteps and go to Dordt. But, I never really thought I’d make it. And now, exactly ten years after Amy was moving in the very same hall, I didn’t have very high hopes. College classes? Me? I didn’t believe it – I couldn’t.

The freshman class participated in and convocation service, if you will, the next day. The families were invited and Ron Rynders, referred to as “Uncle Ron”, spoke to the freshmen class not as freshman of 2001 but as the graduating class of 2005. And while I wanted to think of myself as being one of the many to receive a diploma in four years, I just could not.

Well, I think we began class on a Thursday, and my first class was sociology. I remember walking from my dorm to the science building with an “I can’t believe this is happening, this won’t last,” smile pestered across my face. It was a gen ed class, so there were quite a few students. I found a seat, and began what I thought was a brief college career.

Turns out, I received a “B” on my first test. I was maneuvering my way around campus and yes, even figuring out how to sleep in my hot dorm room. By October, I was comfortable and thinking that this could be home for awhile. I got sick of having my bed take up so much of our room, so I convinced my roommate to move my bed into the cleaning closet right next door. The cleaning lady graciously allowed me to store it there until I broke the news to my parents that I was now enjoying climbing up into the loft at night and they could take the bed home.

Don’t worry, I can count on one hand the times I fell climbing in and out of bed!