If you will be experiencing Launch for your first time this upcoming semester, you are in for a real treat. Many people think that “orientation” can be a bit of a dull word; you learn about this and that along with a little bit of blah. With Redeemer’s Launch, it’s different than that. There are so many entertaining activities to participate in as well as chances to get an in-depth understanding of the surrounding community and Redeemer itself.

I have participated in Launch three times (twice as a Launch leader). The reason that I love coming back to the crew is because it truly brightens my spirit to see how much enjoyment the first-year students can have during such a scary, transitional stage in their lives. When you’re entering the university lifestyle for the first time, nervousness or fear has the potential of creeping up on you. Not with the Launch crew, however. After all, that’s our job: making you feel welcome.

The Launch week has so many awesome things to offer: a community food drive, learning about the school and the different departments, games, team bonding, and of course, the grand finale, the Launch Olympics! This is where all the different teams get together and compete against each other in order to win points for their teams by playing loads of different games. The games are amazing for team-building; many participants begin to break out of their shells and begin to socialize with other new students.

However, let’s not forget that Launch week is not merely about having fun and goofing around. The fact that we are at a Christian University allows us to give praise and glory to God in all that we do. As well, we are to lead and be led through the name of Christ through every day of Redeemer and our years ahead. This is where meeting with folks such as your RA’s come in. They are there to guide you through every step in transitioning to the Redeemer life. This includes holding devotions with your dorm, getting to know each person in your dorm on a deep level and guiding you through Christ-like attitudes. Personally, I found this one of the greatest thing about Launch week, and I know that it will have just as great of an effect on you as it did me.

So, that’s all folks! I obviously don’t want to spoil everything for you (because a lot of the fun comes in experiencing it yourself), but this is just a taste of what you are going to experience during Launch week.

About the author: Dan Vanden Boogard is a recent graduate of Redeemer (Class of 2016). While a student, he participated in Launch multiple times and was a stellar varsity badminton player.