I was very hesitant when I decided to attend our kairos retreat. I go to church every weekend but would not consider myself a super religious person by any means, so the thought of going on a multiple day retreat at a convent was a little daunting. I’m also not the most emotional person and didn’t think I would really open up or get much out of the retreat, but boy was I wrong.

I didn’t know what to expect going into kairos. It’s kind of an unknown mystery to the underclassmen, and even once I was there, I never knew what was happening next. My mom remembered going on it when she went to school here, and my friends who were older or who had already gone all loved it, but no one really told me any details. All I knew going into kairos was that people cried a lot. And I’m not going to say this isn’t true, because it is, but kairos isn’t just about crying.

Kairos is about finding yourself and becoming comfortable with who you are while growing in your faith – whatever kind it may be. Not only do you come out feeling better about yourself, but you also feel stronger about the relationships with your fellow classmates on the retreat. Whether you go with your group of best friends or total strangers, you will get to know them and have a special bond that will last a lifetime.

I didn’t bring my phone with me on kairos (thanks to my friends’ suggestions) which made it so I couldn’t ever check the time or social media. It was much nicer than I was expecting. Getting away from the busy outside world for a few days really let me relax and fully experience the peacefulness of the retreat. Obviously, missing two school days entails missed work, but when you don’t have your devices in front of you, you don’t even think about Google Classroom or checking your Instagram feed.

There really are no words to describe the feelings you have on kairos – it’s pretty overwhelming, and everyone experiences it differently. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, but the end result is amazing. Kairos gives you time to reflect on yourself and really re-evaluate what you’re doing. You can think or talk about anything and everything – there are no limits. Kairos is a place where time stops and healing begins.