My first exposure to college life

My name is Elihud and I’m a 9th grader at Charlottesville High School. I’m in Abundant Life’s program for high school guys called STRIVE. During Spring Break this year, leaders Dylan and Richard took me and five other students on the STRIVE College Road Trip. The trip was awesome and interesting. In four days we visited cool and unique colleges. We experienced what college life is like by staying for two nights at Covenant College near Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was my favorite part, sleeping at Covenant with college roommates. It made me feel like I was a college student too. While at Covenant, I woke up and did most of the stuff that college students do, like go to classes, eat in the dining hall, and hang out at the gym.

“I loved the whole trip and it will help me in the future because I will know what is expected from me and what college will look like when I get there.”

Also while we were visiting Covenant we went to the Chattanooga Aquarium. It had different kinds of salt and fresh water animals like fish, sharks, penguins, and more. It was my first time being at an aquarium and I had always wanted to go to one. My favorite part at the aquarium was seeing the penguins swim. It was cool because they could swim really fast. I also loved visiting the other colleges: Berry College, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech. Last but certainly not least, I loved all the different food that we ate on the road trip. My favorite restaurant was one in Atlanta called Mary Mac’s. That restaurant had the best soul food.

I learned a lot on this trip. I learned that college students have lots of responsibilities, like getting to class on time, doing their assignments, and everything else they have to do. The professors don’t really bother you if you don’t show up in class. They don’t follow you around and tell you what you need to turn in. In high school, the teachers tell you what needs to be turned in and when they’re due. They also give you some time to make up late work, but it’s not often like this in college. I loved the whole trip and it will help me in the future because I will know what is expected from me and what college will look like when I get there. The whole trip was awesome and I hope to go on the College Road Trip with STRIVE again next year.