When I first started college back in August, I had no friends whatsoever. None of my friends from home had come to the same college as me, and I didn't really know any of the other incoming freshmen. I'd never even met my roommate.
I was so excited to move in and start classes, but I was also terrified. It had been so long since I had had to actually put effort into making new friends, I had honestly forgotten how. I lost the confident, outgoing person I had become in high school and reverted back into the shy, quiet little girl I was in elementary school.
I had this big opportunity to become a brand new person, and I didn't know what to do with it. The only person I really had (besides the support of my family and my friends back home of course) was Jesus, so I prayed. I prayed that He would help me find a place to belong. I prayed that He would help me find new friends on campus. I prayed that He would help me feel less alone in general. And boy, did He come through.
During my first or second week on campus, I was scrolling through Instagram alone in my dorm. I didn't have anything to do, and I saw a post from the RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) page at my school for a girl's small group meeting in the library that afternoon. At that point, I had no real friends and nothing to lose, so I decided to take a leap of faith and go see what it was all about.
Immediately the older girls there made me feel so welcome and so important. I ended up having the same major as a couple of them (which is still a rare occurrence, but it was even rarer than when my major was just English) and for the first time since I had moved into my dorm, I really felt like a part of something.
Since then, I've developed a ton of very encouraging friendships that I will cherish from now on thanks to RUF. If I hadn't gone to that first small group, and the girls there hadn't encouraged me the way they did, I don't know where I would be today.
Later in the semester, I went to an Engage service for the very first time. I had been to their freshman only night at the beginning of the semester, but since I didn't have a car and the services were held off campus, I hadn't been back.
I later decided to rush a Christian sorority and one of their recruitment events was attending Engage together. I rode with a friend, and I knew after that night that I never wanted to miss out on another Engage service again. The worship was incredible, the message was powerful and relatable, and the people were so genuine and loving that I knew it was something I had to become a part of.
I joined Engage's campus connections and welcome teams, and I grew to love each and every person I met there. Not only did I grow in terms of relationships, but I grew spiritually. At the end of the fall semester in November, I was baptized at Engage. I will forever be thankful for Engage and all of the amazing people there.
Throughout my first semester of college, I have made a lot of mistakes. Don't get me wrong, I've done things I'm not proud of, and I've said things I definitely shouldn't have said. But thanks to organizations like Engage and RUF that dedicate their time to helping Christians grow closer to God rather than move away from Him in college, I have also done a lot more things that I am proud of. These organizations, as well as others I am a part of (like my sweet sorority), I have accountability and encouragement that I never would have had otherwise.
If you're starting college in the fall, or even if you're already in college and have slipped away from Christ, I encourage you to find the right ministry group for you on your campus. Find the people that love you and accept you the way Jesus does.
Find the people that remind you why you decided to follow Him in the first place. Find the people that push you and encourage you to step out of your comfort zone for Him. Find your people, and I promise you it will make college a million times easier and more enjoyable.