Growing up in Brentwood, Tennessee, being a Christian was easy. I was surrounded by faith—my church had been a constant in my life, my Christian school was rooted in Scripture, and nearly everyone I knew identified as a believer. I’m deeply grateful for the spiritual mentors who guided me during those years, shaping my understanding of faith. But when I left for UNC Chapel Hill, I entered a world vastly different from the one I knew. I assumed my faith would remain steady on its own, without realizing how much I had relied on the culture around me. I hadn’t prayerfully prepared for what it would mean to follow Christ in an environment where belief was no longer the norm.

When Christianity was my culture, going to church and engaging in faith-based conversations came naturally. But suddenly, I had to seek out other believers and evaluate churches on my own. The first church I chose wasn’t the right fit, and after a few half-hearted weeks of searching, I gave up entirely. For the rest of my freshman year and the first half of my sophomore year, I lacked Christian community. Despite doing well in my classes, making friends, and sticking to a gym routine, something was missing. I even dabbled in UNC’s party culture, hoping to find fulfillment in a stereotypical college experience, but I only felt emptier and more stressed.

After Christmas break my sophomore year, I knew I needed to renew my search for Christian community. Friends at UNC and elsewhere recommended Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). I prayed for guidance, asking God to place the right people in my life. After attending my first large group, I immediately felt welcomed. A few days later, I went to an RUF soup night at our interns’ house and left knowing this was the community I needed.

That first semester, we had two male interns, Jackson and Isaac, who poured into me and built strong relationships. In our one-on-one meetings, I felt comfortable sharing my story and asking vulnerable questions about my faith. They provided reassurance, compassion, and guidance, helping me explore and share my faith with others. Their mentorship also prepared me to lead a community group and find a new church home in Chapel Hill. My success in RUF has been shaped by my interns, and I’m incredibly grateful for them!