-Leonie Mann, Community Advisor
As addicts there were many things we took for granted, like the simplicities of childhood? Our parents and loved ones probably tried to tell us not to grow up too fast, but we were naturally determined to do the opposite. Over ten StepUP students gathered around a table in the mixed flat in OGC this past Saturday afternoon to carve some pumpkins. The choice to attend such a gathering was courageous in itself since it was Saturday and no one wakes up before 2pm, but their reactions and faces while carving those pumpkins was priceless.
Most had never carved a pumpkin. When one declared their inability to begin their pumpkin, another would snicker and laugh, “What? You’ve never carved a pumpkin? Why not?” Silence. Then something beautiful happened, as it naturally has become the norm for this community, others who had the opportunity to carve a pumpkin once before began to show others how to carve one. They recognized and were sagacious enough to avoid further confrontation. Everyone was creative as the afternoon went on and the music got louder and louder. There were a few breaks in the pit, but we all went together as a group.
Yes we’re college students now, but many of us had never given ourselves a chance to experience a simple thing like carving a pumpkin when we were children. We are all reinventing ourselves, but we also have had to revisit our child-like selves in order to move forward in our adulthood. StepUP gives us the resources to help ourselves daily. Saturday was a success and we were pretty happy with our final product! Pictures are down below.