Colorado Mesa University (CMU) may be in its second week at the time of this writing, but welcome week is still in full effect. This time around it’s Young Life’s turn to show what they can offer to CMU students. With seven different activities spread out over the course of a few weeks, the group is proving it’s staying power here on campus.
Week one was opened up with a round of kickball. This was followed up with a campus cookout the next evening. While these may have been overshadowed a bit by the simultaneous Programming Activities Council (PAC) events, they still served as a nice break from the midweek routine.
The second week held the majority of events, and while technically a Christian group; Young Life welcomes all students to get involved. This was made evident to me during the first event that I attended.
Walking into organized activities is scary enough for most, but doing it alone is even worse. Young Life wants to make sure that any student interested in the activity can get involved and feel welcome doing so.
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion 
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion 
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion
Walking into their whiffle ball game on Monday night had me a bit skeptical on what I would find. For students outside the circle of religion, Christian groups aren’t exactly the first choice to associate with. I was welcomed with genuine smiles and was introduced promptly to the other members. Acceptance came quick, and there were hardly any periods of awkwardness during the game.
The next day volleyball produced the same outcome. Walking up to the court, I was pulled in immediately to join the match. It was a casual, low pressure type of environment. This was on purpose, as welcome week is meant to serve as an introduction to other students. Often, events can get a bit overwhelming and divided, but Young Life managed to keep an intimate atmosphere despite reasonable turnouts.
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion 
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion 
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion
I particularly enjoyed the selection of activities the group had to offer. While not entirely creative, each served as a fun way to get involved and make new friends in the process. Students in and out of the group were able to come together and have fun in various settings.
Young Life capped off its welcome week with a bonfire by the lake and a subsequent night hike the day after. This was a nice way to bring students into the weekend with a bit of off-campus recreation.
Perhaps the best and worst thing about the Young Life welcome week was the sheer number of students getting involved. While the group didn’t exactly bring in record-breaking numbers, it succeeded in creating a welcoming environment – partially due to the size of the turnout. I particularly liked the lower numbers. Quantity does not always translate to quality as they say, and I think Young Life did a great job with that in mind.
