Since Gonzaga is a Jesuit university, there’s a University Ministry office in Crosby (you know, that one building with a statue of Bing Crosby in front of it…). If you came on a tour, you probably heard the phrase “God is between coffee and money,” due to the fact that the University Ministry office is between the Crosby Cafe and our branch of U.S. Bank!
Retreats are big here. They’re a great way to get away from campus and you meet new people! I loved retreats at my high school; in fact, I attended 5 retreats and led 4 retreats during my 4 years in high school. I always kept hearing about the ever-popular Freshmen Retreats held several times during the school year, so why not sign up and find out how retreats are done at the college level?
This past Halloween weekend, I boarded a bus with around 35 other fellow freshmen and headed to Bozarth Mansion, a real mansion that Gonzaga bought years ago and converted into a retreat and conference center.
A big element that makes retreats here highly enjoyable is secrecy. I had no idea what would happen on the retreat or what I would learn from others. So, unfortunately, I can’t reveal specifics about the actual retreat. You’ll have to find out when you go on the retreat yourself. 🙂
I met a lot of fun people on this retreat. Some were people I was already friends with, others were classmates that I didn’t know very well, and others I’ve glimpsed around campus from time to time. I was surprised at how we all bonded, especially during our free times during the retreat. I loved how everyone was making an effort to interact with each other and learn more about everyone’s stories, likes, fears, and other cool things. As a result, we all went on a Facebook friending spree and traded numbers!
If you do decide to come to Gonzaga, SIGN UP FOR ONE!!! Making new friends in college may be a scary thing to think about, but there’s many opportunities to meet new people. The Freshman Retreat is a great one to start with. And hey, I might even lead it! 😀 I plan on applying in the spring.
Heather, Class of 2015
English and Music Education double-major
