Christmas on the Quad

Study break includes appreciation for Ramen noodles     
By Alex Brickey, CIU Student Writer

Voices carried across The Quad. Laughter. Chatter. Students mingled with one another as they grabbed hot cocoa and dessert. It’s Christmastime at Columbia International University.

Christmas on the Quad was one of  the nightly breaks designed to be a respite from intense study during finals week.

Amidst the joyous chatter and bustle, students Haidyn Curtis and Eli Snead went to the center of The Quad with their guitars. Gradually, students circled about the two as they began to strum. The first few lines of “O Come All Ye Faithful” filled The Quad as more people gathered around the two musicians. They followed it up with “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” before Tyler Tong, assistant dean for student services, stood in front of the crowd. 

Tong spoke on the importance of Advent, reminding those gathered that Advent is a time of waiting. They are not simply waiting for Christmas Day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, but they are expectantly waiting His second coming. 

Curtis and Snead then led in singing “O Come Let Us Adore Him.” 

The cool Carolina night air then brightened as the students lit individual candles, and closed the evening with “Silent Night.”

As a finals week gift, the students were offered bowls with packs of ready-to-make ramen noodles. 

“I really appreciate CIU thinking of their students and how much we eat ramen,” said student Nick Smith. “Also, when we were singing the Christmas songs, Tyler Tong really brought it together and tied the theme of tonight with our expectancy of a Savior very nicely. I love that he pointed it back to Christ.” 

Meanwhile, student Moriah Knott said she “loves Ramen” and “loves singing.”

“It was good to be loud and outside and take a study break with a bunch of random people,” Knott said. 

Community is at the heart of CIU. Check it out. With record enrollment for five straight years, CIU consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report, as well as a Best Value Regional University in the South. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.