Three Things You Won't Learn At Freshman Orientation

With college move-in days quickly approaching/already happening, I will soon be an official sophomore. PRAISE. Freshman year was one of the most fun, growing years of my life as of yet, but I'm hoping now that I'm an older, wiser college girl, that I'll be able to shake off that sign above my head that screams "FRESHMAN OVER HERE."

So in the midst of all the preparations and tips for moving in and starting school, I wanted to share a bit of reflection on what freshman year actually taught me, besides how to be especially awkward and how to graph a limit (business calc, I'm lookin' at you).

1. Study hard, but don't forget to live. School isn't everything.

Now before you stop reading and I start getting hate comments, just hear me out. I don't mean that you should never study and throw away yours (or your parent's) tuition money for the sake of yolo. Absolutely not. Your primary goal for going to school is to get a degree, so keep that in mind.

But also take the time to know and invest in the abundant amounts of relationships you have thrown in your lap. I can't even keep track of the new faces I met, and the beautiful friendships I made by taking a night off from studying and doing something fun (aka 80's movie nights and late night donut runs). I just think it's okay to live a little. Make memories. Take time for yourself. If getting straight A's is your thing, then by all means go for it. Just don't let life or people pass you by.

(Disclaimer: does not apply to engineering or pre-med majors)

2. You love...need... your family more than you thought.

I don't know if you were like me, a typical teenager full of angst, or not... but I couldn't wait to get out of the house and be on my own and do whatever I pleased. I could leave my shoes in the hallway if I wanted to! I've always been pretty independent, but you never know what you've got til it's gone, right?

The first few weeks of school were hard for me, because suddenly I couldn't just walk into the next room for emotional support from Mom anymore. I couldn't come home after a long day to a family that would always love me unconditionally. And unfortunately, most dorms won't let you harbor your dog. Yes, home is only a phone call away... but have fun giving yourself a hug or a pat on the back.

Now if you don't believe me, or if that paragraph made you dread leaving home, that wasn't the point. It does get better. My trips home were sometimes frequent and sometimes few and far in between. But the time I did have at home was made so much sweeter because I came to truly appreciate the company of my family. It was okay that I was home on a Saturday night because I was spending it with people who loved me and had always loved me. Living without my parents, I was able to understand how much they really do (like laundry) and respect them even more.

3. And finally, your faith is made REAL.

I'm talking about when you have to firmly decide whether or not you are going to pursue Christ in everything, or if your faith was something you only did for fun. Wherever you go, college is full of dark places and temptations. Church is something you have to decide if you're going to or not. Accountability is absent unless you make a place for it in your life.

Choosing to serve Christ is something you have to do every single day. Your mom won't be holding your hand to make sure you go to Sunday school. You will meet all kinds of people with all kinds of lifestyles. As a Christ-follower, you are a light in the darkness. But don't forget to surround yourself with other lights. Without community, without surrounding myself with other believers who would encourage me and love me and do life with me... then there would undoubtedly be a distance between myself and God.

No, my walk with the Lord was not always just peachy. But I learned how to depend on a God who is always constant when I faced a world of changes.

It's up to YOU to decide to follow Christ. It's up to YOU to spend time with Him. It's up to YOU to surround yourself with a community of believers. And He is faithful to meet you where you are and walk with you through it all.

So in the midst of the craziness of packing and the welcome to campus events, remember who you are and remember who God is. It's okay to question the dining hall food. Clean your dorm once in a while. Learn how to do laundry. Even for everyone who has survived freshman year, who says this can't be the best year yet?

Leave me a comment, or send me an email at meaghanmercy@gmail.com! I'd love to hear from you!