It's hard not to take out your phone and start snapping pictures while walking around Concordia's campus – it's just so beautiful!

Life is wild. I never imagined my small-town Minnesotan self would end up in Nepal, embracing a new culture and relying on God and my college experience to guide me.

What should I wear? How do I introduce myself? What if they don’t like me? Why am I so nervous?!

Once a southerner, Dr. Tess Varner purchased new warm clothes and made the trek up to Minnesota to teach philosophy at Concordia College. She quickly made herself at home, just a short walk from campus.

“We are one people. We are one family. We all live in the same house. The American house. The world house,” Rep. John Lewis said to the Concordia community and area high school students.

From working at the Concordia Language Villages, to traveling to Rwanda and Tanzania, and even running the weekly campus newspaper, Malat has used her unique skills and creative drive to make the most of her four years at Concordia.

Winds are blowing, leaves are turning green, and birds are chirping beyond the walls of Concordia College. To some Cobbers, these signs of spring mean that Cornstock and graduation are fast approaching. To many, they call to mind a less exciting occasion: finals week.

College can feel daunting in all aspects and comes with a surplus of questions like: Where do I start? How do I apply or write essays? How will I pay for it?

Every year, the college comes alive as current students, recent graduates and alumni from across generations celebrate Concordia Homecoming. Everyone has their own favorite Homecoming traditions; these are just a few of the things that make Homecoming at Concordia an incredibly special time.

I’ve never written a blog post before, but if I’ve been trained for anything in my career, it’s the ability to write lists of 51 items.