A campus visit can be the most important step in choosing the college that's right for you. That's why Campus Life decided to tag along and find out what it's like.

I packed my bags and joined my little sis, Crystal Flutur, then a senior from Ludington, Michigan, on her first-ever college visit. Our destination—Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Here's what Crystal had to say about her trip.

I really didn't have any idea about what to expect from my visit. So when I pulled onto Calvin's campus early Thursday evening, I was pretty nervous. I checked in with the admissions office and sat down to wait for my host, Heather. What if she doesn't like me? I thought. I have to spend the night in her dorm room. I hope she's nice.

A few minutes later she and a friend came to meet me. As we walked across campus to Heather's dorm, it was dark, so I couldn't see what anything looked like. Heather and her friend asked me a lot of questions along the way. They both seemed really nice.

Once we got to Heather's dorm, she showed me around. I really liked it. People stopped in just to chat, and most were curious about me. They asked all kinds of questions about what I was interested in studying and what my initial impression of Calvin was.I thought I would feel out of place. But everyone was so friendly.

That night we hung out at the student center. Some students were studying, but most were just having fun and talking to friends. A guy was playing some funky music on his keyboard. I don't know what I was expecting college students to do on a Thursday night, but I thought this place was pretty cool.

We had to hurry back to the dorm for something called Late Night, which happens every Thursday night in Heather's dorm. Every week, someone from the dorm gets up in front of all the girls to share what God is doing in her life. Then she leads a devotion that usually applies to what's happening in her life—whether she's struggling with stress or is praising God for answered prayer. I was so amazed, sitting in that room with over 100 people from the dorm. Their honesty and openness showed me how much they support one another in their desire to live for God.

By the time Late Night was over, it was almost midnight. We went back to Heather's room and talked a little bit before we fell asleep.

Breakfast came at about 7 a.m. The cafeteria was pretty quiet as I made myself a huge Belgian waffle from the batter the workers gave me. I could get used to this all-you-can-eat buffet, I thought. The food was pretty good, but I didn't have too much time to enjoy it. I had to hurry if I was going to make the morning session.

Heather walked me to my next destination, where I sat down in a room with about 200 other visiting students. We spent some time talking about where we were from. Someone from Anchorage, Alaska, had come to visit, along with a bunch of others from California.

I would meet people from all over if I went to school here.

An improv group came in and entertained us for a few minutes, but then we got serious. I was put into a group with about 50 other people. An admissions counselor talked to us about things like enrollment, tuition and the history of Calvin. Then we went to a chapel service.

Church on a college campus seemed like a foreign idea to me. Since I'd never been to a Christian school, I didn't know that chapel wasn't just a Sunday morning service. Friday morning services were student-led, so we spent the entire time singing praise-and-worship songs. I guess this is a tradition on this campus. It only lasted for 20 minutes, but I felt uplifted after I left. The place was packed out and everyone was singing. It wasn't like Sunday morning, when a lot of people my age are there because their parents make them go. This service was optional. It was so cool to see people praising God together. And it was even cooler that they were there because they wanted to be there.

After chapel we had a question and answer time with a professor, a resident director and a current student. I was told that a Christian college is a place where the professors care about you, and it's important to them that I succeed. But they also demand the best. It sounded like the classes are challenging and I'd have to work really hard to be an A student. I thrive on being pushed, so I liked that part.

When the Q&A was over, I had a couple different options. Most visiting students attended a class. But since I'm interested in doing something with graphic design, the admissions counselor told me I should tour the art department.

Calvin had equipment for sculpture and pottery classes, but they also had darkrooms to develop and print pictures. And the entire department is open on weekends, so I could work on major projects on a Saturday morning. But only if I wanted to!

After our tour was over, it was time for lunch. The food wasn't anything that could be messed up. We just had sandwiches and some sort of casserole dish. I didn't eat the casserole. If I can't immediately recognize what something is, I have a rule about not eating it. But the people around me said it was good. I guess I might have to get more daring in my food choices.

There were all kinds of different departments represented at the luncheon. I could choose who I wanted to sit with. I decided to stay with the art department. The professor that had just given me the department tour talked a lot about opportunities to study overseas. She said Calvin students have gone all around the world, including places in Europe, South America and the Middle East.

She also talked about financial aid and how it helps a lot of students. I still hadn't applied for financial aid, but I learned that most students receive some type of help. That was a relief since my parents are concerned about the higher cost of a private college.

After lunch, I had one more thing to do—tour the campus.

In a one-hour tour, it's really difficult to take everything in. I got nervous thinking about how long it would take for me to find my way around the campus. My host, Heather, was also my tour guide. She assured me that it doesn't take long. I saw everything from the library to the fitness center. I still wasn't able to see the computer lab where most of the graphic design classes are held, but I did get the name and number of a professor I could contact later with my questions. Since I only live a couple hours away, I'm at an advantage. If I forget to ask something, or if I want to meet with someone, it's pretty convenient to make a day trip.

When the tour was done, it was time to go. I went back to Heather's dorm room and got my stuff. We talked for a little bit, and she asked me what I thought about Calvin. I enjoyed my visit, but it's hard to make any comparisons since this was my first college visit. But I thanked her for her kindness. I told her she definitely helped me feel more comfortable while I was visiting.

I left Calvin with no concrete decision in mind. I really liked the Christian college atmosphere. The campus felt like a community—I could tell that people really cared about one another. I felt I would grow in my faith at Calvin. There seemed to be so many people who are knowledgeable in areas that I'm not. And from what I saw, students were really supportive of one another. I would like to be part of something like that.

Whether or not Calvin is the place I'll call home, I'm still glad I went on a campus visit. I learned so much about what a Christian school stands for just by watching and talking to the students. I definitely wouldn't have learned nearly as much if I'd just skimmed an information packet and set it aside.

It's important to get on a campus and figure out if you're comfortable there or not. I plan to make more college visits before I make my decision. Finding a home away from home is a big choice. And I want to make sure I find the right place to put my welcome mat.

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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