As the uni year begins there are so many things that we need to load (if you’re a first year) or reload (it you’re returning). We need to reload our brains so they are working well enough to learn whatever it is we signed up for at uni. There are so many new people at uni that we need to load up some new relationships. There are a lot of people that we haven’t seen in a while… we probably need to do a bit of reloading those relationships. For those who live far away they need to reload the drive from home to uni. We need to reload the fact that we will be spending a couple of days a week at uni. Then ECU needs a bit of reloading… how coincidental that ECU has a camp called Reload!! The camp is a great way to start the year, get to know some new people and be centred on the word of God.

If you are a newbie, you might be a little apprehensive to come on Reload… don’t be! People at ECU are generally really nice and not scary at all. It’s a really good way to get to know people in your course and other Christians around the uni.

My own experience of Reload was all in all pretty positive! When I arrived at Reload I had no idea what to expect… and what I got was probably different to what the people running the event expected.

On the way to Reload there was torrential rain. I was in the car with Karina and Pip, girls I had met in the previous two weeks. We missed the turn off, then managed to turn the car around (in the torrential rain), and take the correct turn off. When we got to the campsite there was a black out which lasted for most of the night. This meant that I had little idea what any of the new people I met (and there were loads of them) looked like. After our adventures it was nice to be able to sit in the dark around the fire and get to know people. Just before it was time to retire to our beds for a good night’s rest the lights came to life. All of a sudden I could see who it was I had been talking to for the last hour - which was handy for the remembering of names etc.

The next day was action packed full of fun things like reading the word of God, hearing from Rob Copland about friendships beyond Facebook, a bit of ultimate Frisbee, organized fun (which was actually fun!), and some free time to hang out and generally get to know people. I personally loved the time we got to spend in our faculty groups - after all, these are the people who we have the privilege of doing Bible Study with throughout the year. With my particular faculty group (education!!!) we played a couple of rounds of bocce and then retired to the gazebo to do some talking, getting to know one another, and planning for the semester.

I found the whole experience a great start to the year. It gets you in contact with brothers and sisters in Christ and you can start you uni year focussing on what is most important… JESUS!

For all you people starting out at uni I strongly advise you to attend this splendid weekend away. It’s a great way to get to know people and by the end of the weekend you won’t be able to walk from one end of the uni campus to the other without saying hi to at least three people you met at Reload. To all the others who are returning to uni it’s a great time to start off the year chilling with brothers and sisters in Christ before uni gets too hectic.

Come to Reload!!!

Jen is in her 2nd year of Primary Education. She enjoys mojitos and the High School Musical 3 soundtrack. Preferably together.

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