Ah, spring break. We all know the drill: the sun, the sand, the relaxation, the construction equipment, the muscle soreness, the bulk pasta dinners. It’s a classic tale, really. This past week I had the amazing opportunity to lead a … Continue reading
It’s almost hard to believe that when I first came to Drake I could barely use a hammer. Okay, to tell the truth, I still miss my nail about 50% of the time, but that’s improvement. The point is that before I arrived on campus, I had no idea I would become involved with Habitat for Humanity, much less become co-president of the Drake campus chapter. But these days, my work with Habitat is one of the most important, rewarding parts of my life.
This past weekend, I got the opportunity to delve into one of my favorite parts of one of my favorite organizations with a trip to the Greater Des Moines ReStore. Habitat’s ReStore is what I like to call a mixture between Lowe’s and Goodwill. It consists of tons of donated home improvement and décor items, sold at discount prices. And all the funds from the store go right back to Habitat to help fund their work in the local community.
So, on Saturday, I went with a Drake Habitat group to volunteer at the Restore. We hung up giant area rugs for display, assisted customers, painted carts, took apart sink hardware, and even moved refrigerators and other large appliances. Pretty impressive, right? More so, it was a lot of fun to lend a hand and talk with members of the Des Moines community and Habitat staff. Plus, as it turns outs, I’m a pretty fantastic area rug salesperson. It’s always nice to have a fallback plan.
After classes ended for the year, I was admittedly burnt out. I’ve talked before about the horrors of finals season, and they came again full-force this semester. Come the last week of my junior year, I was tired, grouchy, and suffering from severe carpal tunnel syndrome after writing my copious amounts of papers. (This was not formally diagnosed, but I think I’ve seen enough Grey’s Anatomy to successfully detect pretty much any ailment).
Anyway, now that I’m home, I took a few days off. I slept, I ate things other than my finals diet of cookie dough and old jelly beans, and I began to slowly relax a little. These days, I’m feeling pretty good. I’m mentally and physically rested and able to look back on what was, in retrospect, a pretty great semester. Not only did I learn a lot in the classroom these past few months, but I grew a lot outside of it. As an almost senior, I can say I’m now older, wiser, and more comfortable than ever in my Drake home and in Des Moines.
With this period of rest and reflection under my belt, something strange began happening. I not only began to miss Drake, Des Moines, and all my friends, but I began to miss school itself. I miss my Habitat for Humanity meetings and chatting with my professors in Howard Hall. I miss my classes and getting to discuss with other students. I miss all my readings, and yes, I even miss my homework.
Maybe I’m a little crazy or maybe it’s a case of pre-summer nostalgia. But maybe, just maybe, I go to a really great school that deserves to be missed.
This past weekend I found myself on the precipice of the unknown. Literally on the precipice. Of a 30 foot ladder. And, yes, I did look down.
You see, I was volunteering with other Drake Habitat for Humanity members to help rehab a pretty, old home in the Drake neighborhood. Through all the structural work had already been completed, we were there to paint the exterior and spruce it up a bit. Honestly, I felt pretty good when I heard our task. I mean I’ve gotten to pick up some incredible skills like shaping siding, caulking, and supporting a foundation through Habitat work. But there’s also just something comforting about good, old-fashioned painting. It’s easy, it’s simple, and you can see the results of your work right away.
Or so I thought.
Turns out that they needed someone to paint the top potion of the house, right under the roof. And thanks to my poorly timed can-do attitude, that person was gonna be me. I don’t have a crippling fear of heights, but I don’t exactly love them either. And as I crawled my way up that giant, seemingly wobbly ladder, it struck me that this was a somewhat uncharacteristic move for me. Just three years ago, I could never imagine myself being the one to volunteer to climb the biggest ladder in the world (basically) and reach out over the edges. I don’t want to overstate my bravery in this situation. I’m not Batman, and I was just painting a house. But then again, I’ve never even seen Batman paint, so you tell me who’s the hero.
The point is that I did something different, something a little bold. But isn’t that what college is all about? I think I can speak for myself and my Drake classmates when I say that we’re here to test our limits, to push ourselves, and try things we never thought possible. For some of us that might mean discovering an entire new major and making the switch from Pharmacy to PR. Others might find their passion in extracurriculars with rock climbing or an a cappella group. Maybe it’s even the experience of meeting new friends that causes people to grow and expand their boundaries.
Whatever the experiences, none of us is the same person we were when we arrived on this campus. Being a Bulldog forces you to grow and change in ways you never imagined. So, expect the unexpected, and know that sometimes the best experiences come from deciding to just climb the ladder and see what happens.
Abbey @ Drake 