No one tells you how hard freshman year of college is. Everyone talks about how great these four years of your life are; how they are potentially the best four years. They talk about how your college friends are your lifelong friends. They talk about how they fly by in the blink of an eye. Four years ago, I would have doubted every one of these statements. Today, they are some of my firmest beliefs.
I came to the University of Alabama because I was raised a diehard Crimson Tide fan. When I visited on my campus tour, it felt like home, but when I arrived for the beginning of my freshman year, I had never felt more out of place. I came from a strong faith, and I knew I had to immediately get involved in a ministry in town. My sister attended Tide 4 Christ, so naturally, I followed her. The first Sunday after move-in, I hated it. I met one other freshman girl who was a polar opposite from me. It seemed that the only people who talked to me did so because of my sister. I participated in Get Tide In events the first week, I attended weekly devos and church in the following weeks, but I did not find my place or my people at Central. I struggled every day with the thought of continuing at Bama or not.
God’s timing is everything. At a point when I was determined not to return to Alabama for the spring semester, an older girl in the group simply gave me a note. She encouraged me with a similar experience and told me to stick it out; things would get better. To this day, I attribute that note for being one of the reasons I stayed in Tuscaloosa. The next semester, the girl I met on the first Sunday and two other freshman girls decided to go to lunch. Y’all, God’s timing! I wanted friends as soon as I walked into the building. What I did not know was that God was preparing the four of us to become a group tighter than anything I could imagine. He brought us together when it was time, and since that day, I would be lost without them.
All of this explains the value of Tide 4 Christ. It’s not perfect, but none of God’s people are perfect. We don’t always get it right, but we rely on God to be faithful in all of his ways. We rely on Him to make us right. In this group, I have found my best friends. I have found those people who others talk about becoming your lifelong friends. I have found my accountability people, my encouragers, my confidence-boosters, and my favorite people to do life with. Tide 4 Christ is special. To be a part of Tide 4 Christ means you always have a home to come to, no matter how far away from your home you are. In this group, you will find those people you have deep conversations with, and you will find those people who you stay up with until 3 in the morning playing intense card games. (You’re going to need someone to go with you on those late night Waffle House runs.) Most importantly, Tide 4 Christ is passionate about the God we serve. The service, the praise, and the family are all because of Him. Without Him, we would have no purpose.
I hope you will decide to come join us this year. If you don’t find what you are looking for on the first visit, reach out to any of the officers and let us welcome you into our family. There are already so many opportunities to be involved in service and fun, and the opportunities will only increase as the year progresses. In the most stressful times of college, you need a break, so we hope you will spend it with us serving our awesome God and becoming a part of our family.
I am Lauren Tucker from Decatur, Alabama. This year, I will be one of the media officers. I am a fifth-year senior (take your time people!) majoring in Elementary Education! I cannot wait to meet all of you!
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