Welcome (or welcome back) to Union College! As we start a new school year, we look back to previous years and wonder what we could have done differently and how we’d like to do better. Each thought leads to an important decision, but we often forget to ask ourselves one important question: who will I become this year?

This may feel like an extremely broad question, but perhaps if broken into smaller, more specific questions, the broader question will be easier to answer.

What motivates you? What are your passions and what fuels them? What stirs a fire in your soul? If you can answer these questions, you may discover new insight into who you will become this year.

You see, the things that bring you to life are often what allow you to become a better version of your true self—someone not confined by the choices of those surrounding you, but really, truly you.

However, in order to discover who you are as a student, friend, sibling, and member of society, you must first discover who you are as a Christian. Who do you want to become in your relationship with Christ this year? How will you choose to become more like Him?

There are many service opportunities at Union College, such as involvement in church, working with Campus Ministries, or starting a small group, and there is an even greater mission field outside of our college community. Get involved and experience how servanthood can make a difference in your life. If serving in those capacities doesn’t suit you right now, find other ways to strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

It could even be just talking to God more.

I promise you, discovering who you are in Christ will not only enable you to see yourself more clearly, but it will also help answer your thoughts on what you’d change or do better and, ultimately, you’ll realize who you genuinely want to be this school year.

Apply yourself in school, make wonderful friendships, and take it all in because college life is amazing. But don’t forget the most important aspect: use college to discover yourself more thoroughly as you discover who you are in Christ.

With excitement, I welcome this school year—the challenges, victories, failures, and discovering more of who I am as an individual and a Christian. I hope you’re excited for those same things and I’ll be praying for you along your journey this school year.

1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 3:1, 2.

Kayla Miller is a junior studying nursing

Becoming You

Questions or comments?