Being away from home can be difficult for Christian teens no matter where they decide to attend college.
They may face temptations that they have not faced before and give in to them. Their lives might get out of control with the use of alcohol, and they might give in to sexual indulgence. Some may even come out identifying themselves as no longer Christian.
College life presents the shining platter of no curfew, no nagging parents and no rules.
“Imagine walking into your dorm room, your parents just left and now there are all these teens with no one watching over them, just ready to do the things they were never allowed to do when at home,” explains Gloria Lopez, youth coordinator at Heartland Church. “Now, not all students are ready to just give into their temptations, but there is a lot of peer pressure that comes with college because you want to fit in.”
Without the support of a church family or people with similar morals, college life can be really challenging, says Lopez.
Purdue University junior, Jasmin Reid, can relate to letting the college life sweep her off her feet and thrusting her into a false reality.
“I thought it was all about the social life. I just wanted to hang with my friends,” she recalls.
Reid would not visit home or church often. Finally she had to sit down and reevaluate her life.
“It was like I knew the word of God, but I thought of it as only a history book that didn’t relate to my life. I had to discover why I believed what I believed,” Reid said. “Now it’s about relationship… a personal relationship.”
Now Reid makes regular trips home to visit her local church, Coppin Chapel, and has connected with a local campus church and choir. She composes music too, performing songs at Purdue, then for her home church.
“I enjoy positive environments that feed my spirit. Plus, I love the youth at church; in a way I’ve taken them under my wing as my brother or sister. It’s called my home church for a reason. It’s my home where I learn and grow,” said Reid.
While over-socializing can be a problem, Lopez also cites college being a challenge for youth because of lack of proper time management.
“Students are so busy and swamped with school that a lot of teens use the excuse that they have schoolwork to do so they don’t have time to plug into a church,” she said.
For Purdue student, Tyler Mason the workload frightened him because of lack of belief in himself and his so-called “friends.” He says his freshman year was the time he was tested the most.
“I hung around people that were not a good influence when it came to working hard or education. I didn’t want to be at school and I didn’t even know what I wanted to be,” he said. “I had breakdowns and times of discouragement. College was a whole different atmosphere for me.”
He continued to say that over time, he noticed everyone had the mindset to work hard at Purdue and it changed his work ethic for the better. Having a praying grandmother also helped – she advised him to talk to God about his predicament.
“I had to take advantage of this opportunity God has given me. He wouldn’t have sent me here if he thought I couldn’t succeed,” he said. “Church is my support system and helps me stay grounded because college can be hard.”
Mason attends Zion Hope Baptist Church and performs with Jahari Dance Group regularly on campus and at church.
Both students said that they had to realize in all times and places, at some point young people have to take ownership of their faith.
Students will find help once they surround themselves with people experiencing the same changes as they are or by seeking Godly advice from church mentors, Lopez said. A local church can also help students get connected to a church fitting for them.
Lopez advises students to stay connected by texting or calling their youth pastor to let he/she know how they’re doing. Nowadays students can also go online and hear Sunday morning messages.
“Staying connected with your local church and serving is a great way to keep you accountable with your relationship with God, because in college it is easy to get drowned in homework or friends,” Lopez said. “School is difficult and requires a lot of your time but that is no excuse to stop getting closer and deeper in your relationship with Christ.”
