I sat at my desk back home during the great quarantine exodus trying to finish up my homework in the last two weeks of school. Amid balancing 18.5 credit hours of online lectures, homework, exams, and editing audio and video for my major, life was spinning out of control. This quickly caused my laptop, or what I jokingly refer to as my life, to get “too full to function” properly. My laptop was crashing. So, I did the best thing I knew to do. I started deleting things and topping it all off, I emptied the trash. Then, I decided to get back to homework. I went to open up my massive, end-of-the-year 23- page paper to write my last two pages. Suddenly, I had a sickening feeling in my stomach. It was gone. Yes, I had deleted it! I didn’t know what to do, the 25-page paper was due in less than two days, and what I had spent over a month working on was gone in a matter of seconds. We’ll skip the part where I cried and screamed at myself for being so stupid. All it took was my laptop crashing for me to realize my life was also crashing around me.
The next morning, Easter Sunday, I emailed my professor, Dr. Estes. (Side note: Estes is the Bestes! If you take him for Bible and the Gospel or any other Bible major classes, you’ll understand.) He responded within two hours and set my mind at ease. He was so gracious and comforting. My spirits were lifted as he genuinely cared for me through his email. Not only was he an excellent comforter, the grace he extended to me was beyond believable.
(Look for Dr. Estes when you’re at Cedarville!)
So, what about you? Sometimes our laptops and/or our lives seem like they are crashing around us. Where do Cedarville University students turn to when these things happen? Good news: Cedarville is prepared for what to do if your laptop and/or your life crashes around you.
Tech Stop
Say your laptop crashes; Cedarville will be there for you. Cedarville University has an amazing technology center. The Technology Center is super helpful with whatever your technological need. From laptops crashing to smaller issues like not being able to connect to the internet, the Technology Center, conveniently located on the north side of the Tyler Digital Communication Center, is there to help. The staff and students who work in Tech Stop are super friendly! I used to feel weird about going in there, like I was the ignorant student who kept breaking his laptop, but when I leave, I’m always glad that I went. Tech Stop knows what the problem is and exactly how to fix it! And sometimes, they do things like computers, phones, charges, etc. Tech stop is a great place to go!
But a lot of times, when technology crashes, so do our spirits. In my case, it was the cherry on top amid the stress of doing college amid quarantine. Don’t worry, incoming Yellow Jacket, Cedarville doesn’t shy away when life is crashing around you.
Now for more of the life crashing around you part.
Professors
One place to turn to if life is not going well is your professors. Sure, friends are great, but your professors are so amazing. A lot of times, they’ve walked very similar roads. The Cedarville University professors are one of a kind. They genuinely care for their students. I’ve had professors pray for me by name in class, email me that they are praying for me, or listen to me when I just need to talk. These professors are truly the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s more than just a teaching job to them. The professors long to pour into you. Never feel weird about going to talk to a professor. Each and every professor here at Cedarville University loves the students and desires to see them succeed, both academically and spiritually.
Dixon Ministry Center (DMC)
Another place is the DMC. Chapel is the heartbeat of campus. I cannot tell you how many times singing corporately in the Jerimiah chapel and listening to a sermon just brightens my day. Another thing in the DMC is the Prayer Room. This room is dedicated to individuals or groups that want to cry out to the Lord. Just being in the room, talking to the Creator of the world is really comforting. On one wall of the prayer room is a place for you to write prayer requests for other students to pray for. Once you pray for a request, you can place it in the designated place for requests that have been prayed for. Another wall has a map of the world, and you can pray for Christians all over the globe. Cedarville University also offers an online prayer/praise request form. Cedarville University really encourages students to pour their hearts out before the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Because ultimately, Jesus is the only thing that matters.
Sadly, I was never able to recover the 23 pages I lost to that major inductive Bible study paper, among the other things I deleted. However, I still saw the Lord showing up through the rough circumstances. Right now, you may be on top of the world getting ready to move to Cedarville University or you may feel like life is crashing around you. No matter where you are, Cedarville University is not going to let you fight it alone. They are there for you! We are here for you! God is always there for you! Cedarville is one big family, and God is our Heavenly Father. When your laptop crashes, tech support is there. When life is crashing around you, Cedarville is there to wrap their arms around you and point you to Christ.
Majoring in Broadcasting Digital Media (Video Concentration), Class of 2022
Where I’m from: Born and raised in Georgia then moved to Iowa
Favorite Class: Media Ethics
Go to Rinnova Order: Dirty Chai
Tags: #advice, #help, #laptop
Posted in: College Life, Student Guide