Preparing for Campus Life

Calling all soon-to-be college students!

College can be a fantastic experience, but there's so much to prepare for! Author and speaker Jonathan Morrow knows all about the college scene, and wants to help out new students. Here's some great advice: 

There I was, standing in the parking lot looking up at my dorm. I had finally arrived . . . at college that is. And after filling out a pile of paperwork, I was the proud owner of a key that would cost me $15 to replace if lost—but it was to my own room. I walked in and was greeted by the sweet smell of industrial strength disinfectant, cinderblock walls painted pale blue, a metallic bunk bed, and a yellowing bathroom that four sets of roommates would share. Along with my roommate, Dave, this was home my first year of college.

My first week of school was kind of a blur. Everything was new and I was nervous! Not only did I have to find out where to eat (and quickly learn what not to eat), I had to find my mailbox and sign up for a parking sticker. (My conspiracy theory is that universities fund their budgets by the revenue from all of the parking fines they make students pay—so be careful where and in which direction you park!)

Every kind of club and organization imaginable had tables set up all over campus. There were banners, fliers, welcome parties, and lots of free food. There were signs for rush week (fraternities and sororities) and progressive dinners at local churches and ministries. It was a buffet of activity.

Within a couple of weeks, Dave and I had met a great group of Christian friends; we all ended up walking through college together. Within another couple of weeks, I had pledged and “de-pledged” a fraternity. God had other plans in that area that would unfold in my junior year.

Looking back now, I clearly see God’s providence at work from the first day. An example: I was helping a friend from my home church in Knoxville move into an apartment. This divine appointment changed my life. In the course of unloading a moving truck with some other people, I met Rich—a guy who just happened to be the newly appointed campus director of Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) at my school. We hit it off right away, and he invited me to a cookout at his house the following night. Several of us went, and the rest is history.

From that small group of students and staff we launched CCC on our campus. Rich became a mentor to me throughout college and one of my best friends. He taught me how to study God’s Word for myself; we studied 2 Timothy and it is still my favorite book of the Bible. God used CCC more than anything else in college to shape my life and provide me opportunities to serve, lead, and grow. It was through Crusade that I discovered I wanted to spend my life investing in the lives of others (2 Tim. 2:2). And my training in CCC inspired me to pledge a fraternity my junior year and be a part of launching a ministry to fraternities and sororities. This by itself was incredibly rewarding, but it was also through this “Greek” ministry that I met my future wife.

I could go on. But my main point is this: you may think and feel at times that college is a random series of classes, events, and relationships. You may not even be at the college you wanted to attend. Regardless of the situation, I assure you that God is at work. If you yield to His will, you can be confident that He will lead you in the way you should go. Remember, He has good plans for you (Jer. 29:11; Eph. 2:10)!

Three Pieces of Wisdom

There are many important lessons to learn during college, but I think these three will be especially helpful in the beginning.

1. You are not alone. It will be tempting to think that you are the only one who has ever felt “this way” or struggled with “that” in college. Not true! College can be lonely and overwhelming at times, but this is the reason that life is a team sport: we need each other. Good friends are essential in college! Moreover, as a son or daughter of God, you have the sure promise that your heavenly Father will never leave or forsake you (Matt. 28:20). Hang in there and stay faithful by leaning on God and the solid friends in your life.

2. With freedom comes responsibility. College is great! Finally you are not under the all-seeing eyes of parents. There are no curfews, and no one will make you do your homework or eat your vegetables. You don’t even have to scrub the toilet or wash dishes if you don’t want to (though I’d advise against this particular expression of liberty). What will you do with this newfound freedom? Will you define freedom as living any way you want, or will you define it as the opportunity to live how you ought to live? College is not like golf; there are no mulligans. Your free choices have real consequences. If you don’t study or go to class, you’ll fail. If you don’t take care of your body, you will be sick much of the time. If you break the law, you will have to deal with the consequences. So enjoy your newfound freedom—I sure did—but be responsible in your decisions. What you sow now, you reap later.

3. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take college seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Like everyone else, you will have your moments of wanting to go crawl under a rock and hide out of embarrassment and awkwardness. Many situations will feel like they are the end of the world; they aren’t. You are going to have some bad days. It’s kind of like a rite of passage. If you can’t laugh in the moment, you will definitely laugh later!

Two Survival Tips

Here are two other survival tips—free of charge. First, pick your roommates carefully. I was blessed with great roommates in college. They were Christians who encouraged me and held me accountable. We hung out together all the time and laughed a lot. I wouldn’t have made it without them! Sure we got on each other’s nerves at times, but that’s par for the course when spending that much time with someone. If you can help it, make sure you are in a good roommate situation; you want an encouraging and safe place to come home to at the end of the day.

Second, find your academic advisor and the financial aid office ASAP. This is critical. You want to graduate someday, right? Well, to ensure that, make certain you are taking the right classes in the right order. There are few worse feelings than heading into your last semester and finding out you still have twenty-four credits left to take! Also, make sure that your advisor is knowledgeable in your program’s course requirements. I have heard numerous stories of advisors who didn’t have a clue about the academic programs—they were assigned the job of advising because they lacked seniority within the department. If they look uncertain, seek out a second opinion!

As far as financial aid, you’ll figure out soon enough how expensive college is. You might qualify for some financial aid. So find the financial aid office early and turn in your paperwork on time. I have known several people who lost out on thousands of dollars in financial aid because they forgot to turn in a form by the deadline.

You can read more of Jonathan's great advice in his new book, Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower's Guide for the Journey, which encourages students to consider and engage the issues they will face in the dorm, on campus, and in the college classroom. Click here for more information.