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…Who Am I? And Why Am I Here?

Megan Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

I figure that this post is appropriate. My first blog entry gave a little insight into where I am at now and my experience thus far at APU, but I figured it was equally important to know where I am coming from.

I am a freshmen at APU, majoring in graphic design. I am super passionate about anything artsy, creative, or design related. I also love writing and would gladly write an essay on the weekend just for fun (I am aware that some people think I am crazy). I have a blog of my own, which led me to checking out these APU blogs when I was a perspective student. I desired to get involved with participating with these APU blogs this year because they were actually a huge part of my excitement in coming to APU. You hear all these amazing experiences, and want one of your own.

I grew up about an hour from Azusa. I lived in the same city, house, and room my entire life. So my move to Azusa Pacific was something very new to me.

I am very close to both of my parents, who are basically my best friends, and my older brother is currently attending community college in Colorado. I take after my dads sense of humor and love of criminal justice and I take after my moms personality and love of cooking.

My favorite TV shows are Big Brother and 24. My favorite color is red and my favorite animal is elephants. My favorite movie is Little Miss Sunshine and my favorite book (besides the Bible) are The Irresistible Revolution and Left to Tell. My favorite foods are pasta and rice, and my favorite place to shop is Urban Outfitters.

You may be wondering what brought me to APU? That question gets thrown around a lot during the first month of living here. I actually ended up at APU through a long train of God-oriented events. My original plan my entire life was to attend a prestigious design school in New York City. I was set on applying- so I enrolled for a month-long summer program to see if this was really where I wanted to be. Long story short, returning home from the trip I realized the strange strain on my relationship with God that I had while being in NYC. I was so consumed in work and school and the city, that my faith was pushed aside. After returning home I realized that my faith was of utmost importance, much over any major, career goal, city, or school.

Azusa Pacific continually was sending me mail and calling me. Before then I had never really heard of APU, but after looking at their website and looking deeper into the school I become more interested. After a lot of prayer I decided on visiting the school “just to see” what it was like. The first visit I fell in love with everything about APU. It honestly just took one walk around the campus and one hour in Chapel and my decision was final. This was the place that I pictured myself in, a place where I could grow in my relationship with Christ and where I could utilize my talents and strengths in a way that would glorify God and draw me nearer to him. I gave up my “dream” of art school in NYC because growing closer to Christ I knew was HIS dream for me, and this plan of APU I am beginning to view as the “plan I never knew, I always wanted”. APU was the only school I applied to when sending college applications because I just tend to be that person that sticks to what I believe in and what I want. I could not imagine myself settling for ‘second best.’ I believed this was Gods will and I am beginning to see the ways in which God is already using me here.

Above all, seek God, and if you land up at APU hang on for the amazing ride.

My first visit at APU, with my parents.

My first visit at APU, with my parents.

“Of all the things Christ wants for us, loving Him and focusing our attention on Him are the most important.” -Charles Stanley

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When we say we barely have free time in College, we mean it!

JP Park Monday, October 12th, 2009

Hey, its J.P again!! Sorry I haven’t been blogging much, but as the title says, College is extremely busy!!!!

In case some of you readers don’t know already, I’m studying in the mountains near Yosemite for a semester long program called “High Sierra”, which is sort of like a study abroad program. For my Leadership class I have here at the “satellite campus”(campus that is not on the legit APU college) the 22 students here had to go on a 6 day trek in Ansel Adams(sp?) which is part of Yosemite. For 6 straight days, we have no classes, no internet, no phones, no showers, and worst of all, NO TOILETS!! It was a great experience; One of those things that you do once n a life time.My trek group for the grueling 6 day trek consisted of 9 other classmates and professors.

Here are some pictures from my 6 day trek!Me on the 6 day trek for High Sierra

Looking out to YosemiteSLab Lake in Yosemite

Some people from my trek group summiting a mountain!!

Some people from my trek group summiting a mountain!!

The 6 day trek was tons of fun!! I had a “Solo”, where I was by myself in the wilderness with only my sleeping bag and a few other things. I spent 24 hours by myself, and chose to fast the whole day by choice. In the 24 hours while I was on my “solo” time during trek, I have never felt more closer to God in my entire life. I spent the whole day in solitude, and spent a lot of the day appreciating God’s majestic creation and basking in the sun by the lake(a picture of it is above here).

Now, I’m back on campus with the 22 or so other students, and have been trying to transition back to the groove of the dreaded 6 classes I’m taking here at High Sierra. Don’t get me wrong, I love the classes that Azusa Pacific offers and I learn tremendously. The teachers here are amazing and are like mentors. A few of them that I can name off the top of my head are Dave Williams, Mike Robbins, and Tom Dunn. They are some rad professors!

I have had a difficult time trying to juggle my time wisely. In college, countless temptations get thrown your way and at times, it will be very difficult to turn them down. Instead of doing homework, I’m tempted to hang out with friends, watch a movie, play a game or sport, or even procrastinate on facebook! I barely seem to have time to call my parents and siblings back in Virginia, and even my roommate back on the APU campus.

All in all, College is the most amazing place on Earth, besides a church of course. :) I have met some quality friends here, and I have learned so much just as a person, and also as a Christian.

To close off, I’ll just explain what I did today to give you a taste of what college life is kind of like:

I woke up around 11 am because I didn’t have any  classes today, and then chilled with a few friends until it was time for lunch. I didn’t get a chance to eat breakfast since I woke up so late(Breakfast is around 8am here at the High Sierra). Then, my friend Rachel Eblin trimmed my hair with her own personal hair cuttery kit. After my trim, I went on a mini “field trip” with about 8 other students to Starbucks to study/work on homework. We could of just stayed on campus, but the track team from Azusa Pacific is here at High Sierra for a team building weekend or something, so there is constantly a lot of noise because of how much fun their having. The few of us who couldn’t concentrate, and the students who wanted to leave campus for a while decided to go to Starbucks and I got a lot of work done. It’s relaxing to get away from campus and the whole college environment for a while and just relax.

Right now, it’s about midnight and I’m typing this blog in the dining hall, which is filled with at least half of the guys and girls from the APU track team. I’m about to work on some homework(story of my life) and get some sleep.

I plan to blog more often, sorry for the abscence. Like I said, I barely have any free time, but I’ll make this blog job one of my priorities. :)

Night, J.P

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Stressed as a college student?? Same here!!

JP Park Friday, September 25th, 2009

Hey there guys!! J.P here again with a few words of wisdom!

Well in case you didn’t already know, I’m a freshman here at Azusa Pacific University. Ironically, I’m not on the campus (The campus is pretty dope!), I’m at the semester long program called “High Sierra” where we study in the mountains and get to do outdoors-y stuff like go on a 6 day trek in Yosemite (We leave this Thursday which means no school for 6 days! hah)

Here’s a picture of the 23 students and teachers/mentors/friends here at the High Sierra program. It’s an amazing community:

high, sierra, freshman, experience, jp, park, yosemite, trek,

high, sierra, freshman, experience, jp, park, yosemite, trek,

Anyway, even though I have only been in college for a couple of weeks now, I’m already starting to slowly get stressed and even more stress. STRESS  SUCKS!! In college, you tend to get so busy with countless things such as SCHOOL WORK, clubs, sports, extracurricular activities, friends, and so on.

The most helpful tips I found out were obvious, of course. Here are some of them:

1. PRIORITIZE!!!! Always start and finish the things that are most important like class work like essays and reading books. I procrastinate A LOT, so the faster you finish your work, the faster you get to all of the other fun stuff APU offers. I can’t “stress” enough about how important it is to get the most important stuff out of the way first.

2. Make a “To do list”/ Calendar —-I always make a to do list with my homework for each class, upcoming events, and planning what days I can go out and have fun and whatever else. It helps a lot to see what you have already completed but crossing them off the list, and what you still need to do.

3. DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!!!!!!—–It’s so easy for a friend to stop by your dorm and want to chill or go out to lunch or dinner. I know it is hard to say no when all of your friends urge you to do something, BUT there will be plenty of countless opportunities to hang out and socialize. You have 4 years to do that! Grades and academics come first!!!

I could say a lot more, but none can come to mind right now. Haha.

The faster you do your class work, the sooner you’ll be able to do this:

Me, (JP) sleeping in my dorm

Hahahaha! Naps are even more amazing in college, except when you constantly have people knocking on your door to hang. But I don’t have to worry anymore since I”m here in the mountains for High Sierra semester.

College isn’t all fun and games…Don’t get me wrong…I LOOVVVEEE college, but there has to be a balance between socializing and studying/doing homework.

Just last night, I had to read 5 chapters (50 pages worth) and while I was reading, my roommates asked me if I wanted to go kayaking in the lake. I really wanted to go, but I knew had to finish reading…. Being productive means making compromises. The more you say no to your friends, the more they will respect your studying time.

Hope this helped a bit, ha! I need to go work out for my Fit For Life class, so lataz!

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