College is crazy. It consumes your entire life and makes you more sleep deprived and grumpy than you ever thought possible. You start to let a lot of things slip, like family time, long distance friends, and old hobbies like reading for fun or crafting. The easiest thing to let slip, though, is your faith.
Here are eight quick and easy ways to keep your faith from slipping during the midst of a college lifestyle.
1. Download a faith-based app.
Most are free, and scrolling through reflections, devotionals, and pre-written prayers while you wait for class to start or procrastinate doing homework will have you thinking about God and sparking ideas for your own prayer life. The app store is full of pages and pages of bible apps, prayer apps, devotional apps, and more. Just do a quick search and pick which one works for you!
2. Join a church's Student Center on campus.
There are student centers for a variety of different religions. Some even have a chapel! Can't find one for your religion? Pick one you like and where you have friends. Stop by in that awkward time frame between classes and join in sometimes on worship services, bible studies, or retreats. Your involvement in the group is totally up to you, but just being there and connecting with other Christians will do wonders for your faith! This is where you'll meet people who are also trying to stay connected to their faith in the midst of a crazy college lifestyle. This is where you'll make friends who support your faith and pray with/for you. And if that wasn't enough to persuade you, they offer free lunch at least once a week, no strings attached. Just come for lunch, and you'll find yourself coming around more often.
3. Find a service time that works for you.
If it's unrealistic to plan on waking up at 8 a.m. on Sunday, don't go to a service where you'll have to wake up at 8 a.m. to get ready. If you have a super busy day ahead and you're awake early, go to an early service and spend the rest of the day knocking out your to-do list. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel about the day once you've been to church. The problem is making time for it, and this won't be a problem if you find a time that fits your schedule.
4. Pray throughout the day.
Pray in the shower or while you dry your hair. Pray before a test and after a test. Pray for your friends if you know they're having a stressful day. Thank God for a beautiful day while you walk to class, or pray that it won't rain on you while you walk to class. Those small prayers will keep you connected to God throughout the whole day.
5. Start a bible study group with your friends.
You can buy a devotional that will do the work for you, or you can find an app for free that helps you learn how to lead a bible study. Take 30 minutes to an hour one day each week and spend time with your friends and your bible. That will ultimately strengthen your friendships and keep you anchored to God throughout the week.
6. Listen to religious music in the car.
It's fun to sing along to T-Swift, Adele, and Beyonce in the car with your friends. But when you're by yourself driving to and from work or to meet your friends somewhere, switch the radio over to a Christian station. Christian music has a stigma of being annoying and all sounding the same, but I'm not quite sure why. It's the same background music you hear on secular station, and the singers are just as good. Kari Jobe's voice gives me chills every time. The only thing that separates Christian music from secular music is the fact that the lyrics are positive and faith-based (and not in an annoying way, like everyone seems to think.)
7. Leave yourself sticky notes with bible verses on them.
Put them in your planner, on your desk, or in your folders. Seeing them around throughout the day will bring your faith into focus while you're busy studying or in class dreaming about lunch time.
8. Thank God for college.
When you're up all night (crying) studying for a test, when you're rocking a dry shampooed messy bun and carrying around your biggest coffee cup, when your professor is rude, or when you think for the hundredth time about dropping out, thank God for the opportunity to be in college and to get a degree. It'll put things into perspective and remind you that you're luckier than a lot of people.
