My goal for this post is not to reach everyone, but that everyone who reads this will pass it on to a college student. That this post will remind the future generation what is important.
This year I am on track to graduate in May… and then a week later I will marry my best friend. Being a senior has brought a lot of new perspectives. One of which includes offering my own advice to incoming freshmen. Here is a little bit of what I’ve learned:
- Go to church. This seems explanatory, but so many statistics show that college students enter college but drop church. The first few weeks are critical to show where you will be the rest of your semester, either in church or in bed. One great thing about college towns is that churches typically have multiple services, and sometimes that even means there is a 11 a.m. service on Sunday, or even an evening service Saturday or Sunday. This past Sunday I was so excited to see new faces at church, and I was even blessed to sit by a few freshmen from back home.
- Get involved with like-minded people. This can take place many places, in your major, in your dorm, in your hobbies and especially in your faith. Colleges are filled with people who want to form relationships with other people. Be careful who you associate yourself with, because those you are around will be who influence you the most.
- Continue personal study. Don’t stop digging into God’s Word. For me, it was joining a women’s Bible study at the church I visit. I was able to have a time of fellowship and digging into the scriptures I’d read throughout the week, but I was also challenged on my own to make my faith a priority.
- Reach out. There are many people who are shyer than you are, and they are just waiting for an invitation to something. Maybe you could be the one who invites them to a clean, fun, Christ-centered event? Who knows, you might even find your best friend!
For me at least, my growth depended on all of these areas. I found a church that preaches from the Word of God; I got involved and met people walking similar roads as I walked; I continued my personal Bible study time as well as got involved in two group Bible study times; and I gathered other people with me as I went; and yes, that is how I met my best friend.