1. Nothing is permanent.
When it’s the first semester of college it feels like everything that’s happening is permanent. The decisions you’re making will determine the rest of your life, an embarrassing moment will ruin your reputation, the friends you’re making will be your friends forever. This isn’t really the truth. In fact, the way things are first semester will most likely change drastically second semester. And that’s okay. The way our lives are built in seasons is really a beautiful thing. It doesn’t mean going from season to season won’t hurt, it probably will hurt. But the season you enter will be so glorious once you get to it, and you’ll be able to look back at the past seasons with a smile on your face. That was then, this is now.
2. It’s okay to change your mind…
The number of people I watched change major freshman year is too many to count, and that is okay! As freshman most of us are anywhere from 18 to 20 years old. No one expects us to have our life completely figured out, so we shouldn’t expect that of ourselves. I went into college as a double major in worship arts and music business. However, I decided my plate was too full, so I am now only majoring in worship arts. Changing my major doesn’t mean I failed, it just means I changed my mind. That’s normal.
3. ...but it’s also okay to not change your mind.
On the other side, it’s okay to not change your mind about some things in college. If you have strong beliefs about something, stick to them. A lot of people have a lot of opinions, and it’s okay not to agree with all of them (or any of them). You can listen to others opinions and respect them, but you don’t by any means have to change your opinion and accept theirs as the truth. Rest in the truth God provides, and base your opinions and beliefs on that.
4. God is constant. We are not.
This one is pretty simple. College life (actually, I think just life in general) is pretty chaotic. One day is the best day ever and the next seems like the worst day ever. If we place our emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being in the world, we will be pretty all over the place. However, place your life in God’s hand and He will hold you steadfast.
5. Being in college isn’t the cure to my longing, God is.
I wrote a previous article on this, so I’ll be brief. I thought college would FINALLY satisfy a longing I had in my heart. I thought I would achieve this ultimate status of happiness in college. Then I got there, and I didn’t feel any better. I learned in my freshman year, more than anything else, that God is the only source of satisfaction. If I don’t put my satisfaction in Him, I will constantly be running for “the next thing”. However, when I accept God as enough for me, I don’t have to keep running. I can just be content in exactly where I am right now.
