They say that college is the most selfish time of your life. They say it is the one time it can be “all about you”. They say it is when you can focus solely on yourself, without any repercussions. College is unique in that most of us do not have any attachments. Many of us are not married, don’t have children, and have very few factors to consider other than ourselves when we are making decisions. It has been proven that we have more time in college to choose what we want to do with our free time than any other period in our lives.
Although I believe that college is a time where we can experience self-discovery and an immense amount of growth, I don’t think it is a time where we should be purposefully self-absorbed. Instead of using the fact that we have limited attachments as a way to become consumed in our own little worlds, I think we should take advantage of that and give as much as we can. Oftentimes, we search for satisfaction and fulfillment through doing more, being more, and having more. We strive for an unattainable level of individual perfection with little regard to how our actions might be influencing the people around us. In actuality, that mentality will never feel like it is enough. We will keep doing more and more and more, yet still be searching for satisfaction. Continually focusing on our internal drives, to only better ourselves, will ultimately leave us feeling empty. The Lord created each of us to live out lives of service. It is only when we switch our focus away from ourselves and towards serving others that we will begin to feel filled up too.
The extra time that we have in college is a unique opportunity to discover something we are passionate about and give our all to it. We are young, have fresh minds and ideas, and should feel compelled to make a difference in the world. We should focus on being the “hands and feet” of The Lord, cultivating relationships, leaving our marks on organizations that focus on people in need, and putting others before ourselves. By finding something we are passionate about and striving to go above and beyond, we will have an opportunity to glorify our Awesome God. We will get to share His joy, give away love, and make an impact in the world and in our lives.
I want us to think of college not as a time to be selfish, but as a time to be selfless. I promise that if you continue to give, you will receive more than you could ever imagine. Give your time, give your heart, give a listening ear, give your ideas, and give your immense effort. Life isn’t about materialistic things, status, or who you know. Life is about love and service. You will never truly feel fulfilled unless you are giving your life away and living for something that is far greater than yourself. I challenge you to do just that. Give your life away. I promise it’ll be worth it.
