First Day of School

We started off yesterday (Wednesday) morning with a commencement at 9:30 in the Gym. The freshmen sat in the middle of the gym on chairs and were surrounded by the faculty in their academic robes. There were so many people that the assembly poured out of the Gym, so they had another hall for people to see it in. It started out with the faculty coming in and then we sang “In Christ Alone/ How Deep the Father’s Love For Us”. This was followed by Dr. Barry Corey and the call to worship and call to faith which was a call and response. We were prayed over by Todd Pickett, welcomed by the DBC, and the new faculty were presented and charged. After the faculty it was our turn to be presented and charged with a call and response as well. Dr. Barry Corey spoke and the theme was “Our Vine’s Ability”, which were rearranged to spell “Biola University”. It was a nice service, and we got free towels in remembrance of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples.
Danny Paschall, the Dean of Students, prayed over us at the beginning. So why am I bringing him up now? I must explain my first, and all the freshmen’s, first impression of him. The morning before we were in the Gym and he said

Everybody raise your right hand. Now, but down your ring finger and your pinky finger. What is that? That’s an eagle talon. Now repeat after me, and start quiet and get louder. “I’m and eagle now. I’m an eagle now” Louder, “I’m an eagle now,” get really loud now, “I’M AN EAGLE NOW!”

needles to say many of us felt like we were entering a cult (and I thought Torrey was one). He did it again later that day in one of the lectures.
At lunch I ate with my Ignatius group and then we headed over for our first session. We accidentally went to the wrong room and opened the door while there was a class going on. We finally got to our correct room where we were greeted by Dr. Campbell. She was a fun tutor and did very little talking so that we would learn how to discuss when the tutor doesn’t feel like it. At one point in the discussion we got stuck and she started yelling at us “WHY?” over and over again. We would come up with ideas and she would cut them off with “WHY?”. It was really funny, but frustrating. Of course the answer was the most obvious and was the topic that we had spent the first hour talking about. We did well our first session, but it was a somewhat long three hours. We have to learn to let silence happen so people can collect their thoughts.
That night we had open mike night in Emerson and we had some good acts. Caleb sang his song he wrote in Africa, Sam improvised (and almost killed Greg by laughter), Derek taught us self defense, and so much more. There is some real talent in our dorm (as opposed to the fake talent in the other ones). I am so excited for this year, though I wouldn’t mind not having an eight am class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. God will lead me where he wants