College is about choices. A lot of choices. What classes to take, what major to have, where to live, how you spend your free time, what kind of friends to make, what kinds of dating standards to set and what you’re going to believe about God, faith and purpose. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming. And let’s be honest, most of us know someone who royally screwed up in college by making some less-than-smart choices. Some of these choices really do matter.

The good news is though that you don’t have to make all these choices alone.

The College of Charleston has Christian communities that exist just for college students. They’re called campus ministries. They meet during the week and at night in case you just can't seem to wake up Sunday morning. They meet on or near the campus so you don’t need a car to get there. They have pastors and staff that make it their job to care about and support you.

So whether you’ve been in church your entire life or are just curious about Christianity, you couldn’t make a smarter decision in college than to be a part of collegiate Christian community. They’re all different, so try a few out and then figure out which one can help you thrive spiritually, emotionally and intellectually while you’re navigating one of the most important (and some most difficult) stages of your life.

Here’s the definitive list of just about every campus ministry at the College of Charleston, how to find them and what makes them stand out. We’ve listed them from some the newest and most intimate campus ministries (at the top) to some of the largest and most established campus ministries (at the bottom).

ALPHA OMEGA

Main gathering time and location: Tuesday @ 7 pm at Maybank 116

Community size: 10

Best event: Every Friday is "Family Friday," where they host a variety of fun events -- including a beach bonfire, zombie apocalypse, bowling and movie nights! Yes, it's possible: Christians can be spiritual AND have a lot of fun together!

Best feature: Everyone wants to be a part of a "cause," and Alpha Omega’s cause is pretty clear. They try their best to serve their community, grow in their love and knowledge of God and reach others to teach them to do the same.

What makes them unique: All people need relationships, but Alpha Omega strives to really make their group a family that is learning to follow the Bible as closely as they can to know truly God

Website: www.charlestonchurchofchrist.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alphaomegacharleston

Or: @AlphaOmegaCharleston on Twitter or @aocharleston on Instagram

EPISCOPAL CAMPUS MINISTRY

Main gathering time and location: Wednesday night supper at 6:30 pm and group gathering at 7:00 pm at Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth Street, Room 207 in Hanahan Hall.

Community size: 10

Best event: It’s different every year.

Best feature: This is an inviting community that welcomes all students wherever they are on their life in faith. Plus, have you seen the sanctuary of the church they meet in? It’s gorgeous.

What makes them unique: Looking for a home cooked meal? They offer free supper on Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm. Students are welcome to join for both supper and the gathering, or one or the other.

Facebook: @EpiscopalCofC

Or: @EpiscopalCofC on Instagram

INTERVARSITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Main gathering time and location: Thursdays @ 7-9 pm currently at The Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul)

Community size: 20+

Best event: REC Week in the mountains of North Carolina. Mountains, students from around the Carolinas, very intense volleyball competition and other general awesomeness along with different tracks to explore Jesus or grow in that relationship.

Best feature: This group wants to be intentionally interdenominational and multi ethnic and explore how Jesus applies to that.

One thing that makes them unique: Some groups are denominational, some are non-denominational, but InterVarsity is the only group that is interdenominational.

Website link: http://intervarsity.org

CHARLESTON WESLEY FOUNDATION

Main gathering time and location: Wednesday Evening @ 6:30 PM at the Chip Center of Bethel United Methodist Church (Corner of Pitt and Calhoun, next to the CofC Library)

Community Size: 20 at CofC, with 150 other local students in the area.

Best event: Their Fall and Winter retreats are an amazing time to get away and connect with God and one another.

Best feature: Students say that immediately they feel like they’re part of a family that helps them discover and grow into who God made them to be.

One thing that makes them unique: CWF has a big presence all over Charleston, with groups at The Citadel, CSU, MUSC and Trident.

Website: http://www.charlestonwesleyonline.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharlestonWesleyFoundation/

TWO16 BCM (BAPTIST COLLEGIATE MINISTRY)

Main gathering time and location: The first Monday of each month at 6:15 pm the have Citywide Worship at The Citadel for all students. The CofC community gets together @ 8:00 pm every week for small groups at 216 Calhoun Street.

Community size: 35 (CofC), 110 (Citywide at the Citadel)

Best event: A Fall retreat where the group heads inland to a camp surrounded by nature. It’s an opportunity for students to rest, grow and get to know students from Charleston's many colleges.

Best feature: Two16 BCM has their own student center downtown at 216 Calhoun St (hence their namesake) where they have events, but also where students hang out throughout the entire week. So if you're needing someone to talk to or an impromptu movie night, you know the place to go.

One thing that makes them unique: When you join Two16 BCM, you are joining something bigger than one university. The wider BCM community is comprised of 6 Charleston schools, more than any other campus ministry.

Website:www.charlestonbcm.org

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2204456258/

CRU

Main gathering time and location: Thursdays @ 8 pm in Stern Center 409. Small groups meet throughout the week.

Community Size: 40+

Best event: Their Beach Retreat is a fun weekend that will accelerate friendships, provide lots of fun in the sun, and encourage you in ways to pursue your relationship with God while at CofC – perfect for setting up a successful school year.

One thing that makes them unique: Where are people who are like me? Cru offers small groups for athletes, Greeks, Teaching Fellows and more. Looking to connect with students who have things in common with you? They've got ya covered.

Best feature: Since Cru is global (anywhere you find a Coca-Cola or McDonald's) and CofC students love study abroad programs, there's a perfect partnership with ways to go to the world to study and share the good news of the gospel with the culture around you.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cofccru/

Or: @cofccru on Instagram

CAMPUS OUTREACH

Main gathering time and location: Wednesday nights @ 8:00, Stern 409

Community Size: 55

Best event: Their summer Leadership Project is an opportunity to deepen your faith in in the context of community.

Best feature: They emphasize life-on-life ministry, which means that events are the tip of the iceberg, but deep relationships are the 90% below the water line.

One thing that makes them unique: They have a weekly Movie Clip Bible Study, which examines the human desire for God through the combined media of film and scripture.

Website: cocharleston.org

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thecollegeCO/

Or: @thecollegeco for Twitter and Instagram

YOUNG LIFE

Main gathering time and location: Sunday nights at 5:00 pm in Stern 409

Community Size: 80

Best event: The weekend retreat in the Fall to a Young Life Camp in the mountains. It’s like a regular retreat to have fun and experience Christ, but at an amazing location with a ton of other amazing students from the region.

Best feature: They don’t just hang out together at their meetings. They tend to hang out together everywhere.

One thing that makes them unique: Young Life isn’t just college ministry. It equips college students to be sent into the surrounding high schools and middle schools.

Website:charleston.younglife.org

Facebook:https://m.facebook.com/groups/183571725042410

JOURNEY

Main gathering time and location: Thursdays @ 7 pm in Stern Center 205. Small groups meet throughout the week.

Community Size: 80 (CofC), 30 (The Citadel)

Best event: Want to hit the beach on a budget? Journey hosts a September beach retreat at a three-story house on the Isle of Palms and heads to Cuba for a Spring Break mission trip.

Best feature: The diversity of their community is incredible. Lifelong church kids and skeptics, conservatives and liberals, LGBT and straight, black and white and students from 14 different denominations (at last count) all come together to explore what it means to follow Jesus. Ask anything you want. Really.

One thing that makes them unique: They have the only dedicated women’s mentoring program at the college. Women ages 23 to 60 are matched with college women as “adopted” big sisters, moms, and grandmas.

Website:www.charlestonjourney.org

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/charlestonjourney/

Or: @charlestonjourney on Instagram

Disclaimer: There's a couple of other groups on campus the author couldn't get a hold of, but he tried as best he could. Forgive him.