June 25, 2020 by

Dear Future Yellow Jackets,

My name is Alayna Skurdal. I am the oldest of 10 siblings and am from Washington state. I’m majoring in Visual Communication — Graphic Design and minoring in Web Design and, of course, Bible! In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, journaling, and working out. 

I transferred into Cedarville in fall 2019 and have been blessed beyond expectation. In my first year, I was involved in the Students for Life organization. Most of the year I spent investing in friendships, and figuring out if the Lord wanted me to pursue leadership in 2020-21 (and what that would look like). 

This coming year I have the amazing opportunity to serve as the junior class Women’s Ministry Leader. Women’s ministry is something that I am deeply passionate about, as Scripture-grounded women’s ministry is rare in so many churches today, and I am excited to pour into the junior class this year in this role!

Looking back on my first year at Cedarville, I wish I would have had a few guidelines for what to bring and what not to bring. So here is my list and words of wisdom for y’all! 

  1. DO BRING a thick coat. I was completely and ENTIRELY unprepared for the windchill and rain during the winter months. You will want a heavy, warm, and waterproof coat for those months!
  2. DO BRING some comfy pairs of jeans or other dressy pants! I am a big fan of the Cedarville dress codes, but I did need to go and purchase some better pairs of jeans when I got on campus, since that is what I wore to classes just about every day. 
  3. DO BRING a mattress topper. I remember thinking this was completely unnecessary when I started in the fall, but it made the dorm bed so much more comfortable! Definitely not necessary, but I found it helpful and helped make the dorm room feel more like home. 
  4. DO NOT BRING a ton of extra office supplies. I wish that I had waited till my classes started to see what I’d need instead of just purchasing extra things. From what I brought, all that I ended up using were pencils and pens, a couple notebooks, and some sticky notes. Obviously this may change based on your major, but I still believe that waiting to see what you’ll need and what supplies are available to you at school is the best option.
  5. DO NOT BRING a ton of clothes. There just isn’t room in the dorm. Plus, you will end up wearing much less than you think you will! Something I learned was not to bring “just in case” clothes; they will just take up room in your dresser and/or closet and I never wore them once. 🙂 

Regardless of what you bring, you are going to experience a culture of vulnerability, discipleship, and encouragement! The very most vital thing for you to bring is a heart open to how the Lord wants to work in and through you at Cedarville University. Come with a soft heart, a desire to grow, and an excitement for things to come, and you can’t go wrong! 

I cannot wait for you to get to experience Cedarville University! Start packing now future yellow jackets! See you so soon!

Alayna Skurdal | Women’s Ministry Leader Class 2022

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