General Information

Arrival and Departure

We expect you to arrive on Sunday, June 9.

Registration takes place between 3 and 5 p.m. in the lobby of Phelps Hall (154 East 10th Street).

You should plan to depart no later than noon on Friday, June 14. (Lunch on Friday is not included, but you can eat with your family in the dining hall or go to downtown Holland, just a block away.) Awakening does not have access to housing or luggage storage for participants before or after the week. At the end of the week, please plan to be picked up at the Phelps Hall Lobby at noon on Friday or outside the entrance of Phelps Hall.

Please let us know at least one week in advance if you will be making a late arrival (i.e., after 5 p.m. on Sunday). If you miss a flight or experience any other major delay in your travel schedule, please immediately contact the Awakening office at 616.395.7638.

Location and Travel

The Hope College campus is located in the center of Holland, Michigan. While you are in Holland, you may want to stay and enjoy this delightful city, which has received numerous awards for beauty and its thriving downtown. Learn more about visiting Holland.

Registration and Check-In

Please register immediately upon your arrival to campus, though no earlier than 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Registration takes place between 3 and 5 p.m. in the lobby of Phelps Hall. View our campus map to help find your way.

Dinner will be in Phelps Dining Hall from 5–6 p.m.

You will receive several items at the registration desk, including your meal wristband (which you will need to wear to get into the dining hall), a campus map, and other materials and information about the week.

Housing

Women and men will stay in separate campus residence wings.

Unless you requested a single room and paid an additional fee, you will have a roommate. While we will try to honor them, roommate requests are not guaranteed.

The staff of each residence hall includes Awakening staff members, who are Hope College student interns who will monitor residence halls. If your parents or guardians need to reach you for an important matter while you are at Hope, they should call the Awakening office at 616.395.7638 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, and we will relay a message to you. In case of an emergency during non-business hours, they should call Hope College Campus Safety at 616.395.7000. This phone number is live 24/7 and someone is always answering the phone. If you lose your room key there will be a $20 charge to replace it.

Rooms are typically furnished with a bed, dresser, desk and chair, and closet or storage area (one per person, as you will likely be rooming with another person. Please consult the packing list for what you will need for your dorm room. 

View the packing list We are not able to accept any personal mail for Awakening participants.

Feel free to bring musical instruments, sports equipment and other basic athletic gear for your use during recreational hours.

Meals

Meals will be provided up to three times daily in the dining halls beginning with dinner on Sunday and ending with breakfast on Friday. If students need additional meals or snacks, students may visit a variety of eateries on campus, many of which are located in the Bultman Student Center.

Banking

Please let us know if you have dietary needs and/or restrictions no later than seven days prior to Awakening. Although campus does not have ATMs, there are several ATMs at nearby banks (within walking distance). We suggest that students bring an ATM/debit card, traveler’s checks or cash for spending money. Students should not need a great deal of pocket money, but may need some for snacks and souvenirs.

Clothing

Holland summers can be warm, but are usually delightful in temperature, so bring shorts, short-sleeved tops and other casual, lightweight clothes that are easy to wash. (No halter tops, crop tops, spaghetti straps or short shorts/skirts, please). But please also bring a sweater, sweatshirt or light jacket and a swimsuit/towel for the beach! We will wear our official “Awakening” T-shirts on most days, so you do not need that many changes in clothing.

In general, we ask that participants dress in accordance with a general sense of Christian decency. Temperatures typically range from lows in the 60s to highs in the 70s and 80s during the day. A raincoat and umbrella are also recommended, as well as a sweater or sweatshirt for occasional cool nights and some ultra-air-conditioned buildings. A nicer outfit will be needed for Thursday’s Worship Gathering (see the packing list). Athletic attire for free time may also be needed.

Note: Any persons whom the leaders of Awakening deem inappropriately dressed for the program – e.g., clothing that is too revealing, offensive messages or slogans on clothing — will be asked to change immediately. When we go to the beach on Tuesday afternoon and evening, we ask that women wear one-piece suits.

Rules

Your week will be a wonderful experience of learning and sharing, making new friends, and having a great time. It is essential, therefore, that you and your parents or guardians are fully aware of the rules and that you abide by them while at Hope College. It is of utmost importance that you follow the Code of Conduct for Awakening Participants.

Read the Code of Conduct for Awakening participants The complete list of rules is also enclosed in the registration packet.

As you can well imagine, smoking, non-prescription drugs and alcohol are prohibited for Awakening participants. Any participant who violates one of these rules will be expelled from the program at the director’s discretion without reimbursement of program fees, will have his or her parents or guardians notified, will need to leave campus immediately, and will be asked to return home at his or her parents’ or guardians’ expense. If any needs arise during the week, please first speak to one of the Awakening staff members who are prepared to respond immediately to your concerns.

As Awakening is an experience of being in community with one another, participants are required to attend from Sunday at 5 p.m. through the closing worship, departing at noon on Friday. Early departure is not permitted unless special arrangements are made with the director of Awakening.

Note: Cell phones or any other electronic devices are not allowed during most activities. If someone is found using one of these at an inappropriate time, the device will be confiscated and returned at the end of the week. We ask that cell phones be left in your securely locked dorm room during the day while program activities are in session. Awakening is not responsible for any lost items during your stay.

Questions?

Let us know. We’re organized, we’re efficient, and we’re ready to help you. You can reach us at awakening@hope.edu or 616.395.7638.