Four College Lessons from Four College Years

Four years ago I moved into my first college dorm room. If I could go back to that moment and give myself four pieces of advice, here is what I would say.

1. Be immersed in a solid community.

For many, college is a chance to start over completely in terms of community. High school friends are far away and wrapped up in starting their own new lives. Strangers abound, and they are more open to meeting new people during the first few weeks of school than they may ever be again.

My first friends in my first year of college were selected completely arbitrarily. I met them in the lobby of my residence hall and tried to eat with some combination of them for every meal thereafter. They were fun to be around and I valued their company, but we lacked similar values. Soon, the fun turned into defending my decisions not to do drugs, drink underage, and party.

Enter: my campus ministry friends. While I usually spent weekends with my family, one weekend in September I decided to stay on campus until Saturday for a football game against our rival school. The campus ministry I attended with tentative commitment was hosting a contra dancing event that Friday and since I love to dance I decided to go. At the event I met people who loved the Lord. People who invited me to eat with them and spend time with them. People who I would experience the messiest of conflict with. People who would show me what true resolution in truth and love looks like. People who would walk alongside me.

From that day on, I dove headfirst into the community, both as a participant and a servant. I firmly believe this has done more to shape me as a person than anything else in college.

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
Proverbs 13:20

Be immersed in a solid community. Find people who will hold you to your faith and give you a space to live it out alongside them as they live out theirs. Choose wisely, as we become like those we surround ourselves with.

2. Be flexible in your plans.

One of the first assignments given in any intro to college course is a four-year plan where students are asked to map out their classes and requirements by semester. As a senior, I look back and laugh at how different my reality is from the plan I made as a freshman.

In the moment though, it wasn’t a laughing matter. By year two of college I had what seemed like my entire life planned out. Over the course of many months, I had to learn to surrender that over to God. The less willing to change I was, the more anxious and exhausted I felt. The more willing to make a change I was, the more He guided me on the right path.

With any large-scale change, the short-run has hurt, but the long run has healing. Changing a major is easier than graduating with a degree that isn’t a good fit. Losing a friend is better than letting an unhealthy relationship continue. God perceives things mere humans cannot. In hindsight, especially from the vantage point of eternity, His goodness will be evident in every ruined plan.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Be flexible in your plans. Planning is essential, but plans must be kept in God’s hands. Be willing to make adjustments, whether that be to your major, who you date, who your friends are, your living situation, or what you do during the summer. You don’t know what God knows, so be willing to trust Him sacrificially.

3. Be wise in how you steward your time.

While college is an extremely busy time, wise people have told me that life will not slow down come graduation. Contrary to how it seems, college students have more time than they ever will again.

That being said, there is a lot to juggle. Coursework piles up. Deadlines come fast. All-nighters and skipped meals can be the collateral damage of getting work done. There is temptation to exchange Bible time for textbook time and church time for extra sleep.

Life is balance and college is balance. A good steward of time makes the most of it, taking opportunities that line up with priorities, but being realistic about his or her own limitations. A good steward of time completes schoolwork and other obligations as if unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23), but also sleeps, eats, and relaxes in a way that shows He is above the idols of perfection, success, and busyness.

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
Proverbs 23:4

Be wise in how you steward your time. Prioritize. Use a planner to stay organized and keep yourself accountable. Wield the word “no” as a shield, knowing that every “no” can double as a “yes” to leaving time for something that matters more.

4. Be bold in your decisions.

A college senior who can take a diploma without regrets is the product of a college freshman/sophomore/junior who took bold steps of faith while he or she still had the opportunity to.

During my first four years of college I can recall many times where I made decisions out of fear and missed opportunities. Eventually I corrected some of these issues, but the time it took to get there was far from ideal. I had to learn that being bold isn’t about feeling bold, but about doing what God puts on your heart as soon as He does so, in His strength.

After spending a summer on mission, I wondered why I hadn’t applied to do so years earlier. After befriending my classmates in one course, I wondered why I had been too focused on myself to initiate conversation in courses before.

Without boldness there is no growth and regret abounds. With boldness, God moves.

The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.

Proverbs 28:1

Be bold in your decisions. Don’t wait to make an impact on the community, go on summer mission, ask out the young woman whose faith you admire, start a registered student organization, join a bible study, make new friends, ask for help, or apply for an internship. College will be over quicker than you know. If God puts something on your heart, do it, even if it seems radical at the time.

As I go into my final semester, I cannot help but think of the new freshmen coming to my campus and campuses all over the world. I pray they will live bold, flexible lives in college. I pray they will steward their time well and seek out solid community.

Next Steps

1. Are you a college student? Remember to be immersed in a solid community, be flexible in your plans, be wise in how you steward your time, and be bold in your decisions. Pick one specific area to work on this semester.
2. Do you know a college student? Share this blog post with them and pray that they would be immersed in a solid community, be flexible in their plans, be wise in how they steward their time, and be bold in their decisions.