My First Wedding

by Travis Rocha

I just returned from Richmond where I attended my fraternity brother’s wedding. He graduated last year and invited a bunch of Christopher Newport current and former students for his nuptials. It was my first wedding that I was invited to personally, as opposed to simply by extension through my parents. It was a very intimate and sentimental ceremony. I found myself and a lot of my brothers’ heartstrings being pulled a little too much, but that’s OK!

I met the groom a few years ago, and I can’t believe now I’ve attended his wedding. College really is the middle ground in between being a child and becoming an adult. I mean, it wasn’t long ago he and I were hanging out in our friends’ dorm room, sitting around playing video games. I think those are my favorite memories with him, just relaxing with our friends and enjoying one another’s company. It’s crazy to think that from such casual friendship can evolve a much deeper and meaningful bond that will last a lifetime. Watching his relationship blossom with his wife has been one of the most rewarding and important experiences I’ve had the privilege to live.

I don’t know where I’d be if I never came to Christopher Newport  and never had the opportunity to make the relationships I have. This was my first wedding, but I know that there are so many more down the road (including my own)! College isn’t just a place to learn, it’s a place to grow. And at Christopher Newport, we grow alongside one another, sharing in education and honor all the way through. The relationships I’ve made on this campus are beyond substantial and are something I will hold dear for the rest of my days. I know that these bonds will not break after graduation and that many of the friends in my life today will continue to be in my life for years to come. I can’t wait, and I thank Christopher Newport for the opportunities it’s given my friends and I to share.