College at Biola can be a very enriching and exciting time. The classes are generally interesting, the students are very friendly and attractive, and the faculty and staff genuinely have a sincere interest in the welfare of the student body. What is most important, however, is the great emphasis on the spiritual education and worship. Thanks to this, Biola students have many opportunities to "get in touch" with God and establish spiritual harmony with fellow peers. Unfortunately, many Biola scholars tend to think that, thanks to the increase in their spiritual wisdom, they are impervious to making stupid decisions.
1. Avoid procrastinating in chapel and conference attendance: I get it: going to chapel and conference seems to be a drag, or even, a "waste of time" especially since myriad attendees do not even pay attention. I honestly did not enjoy attending chapels or conferences when I first started studying at Biola because I easily got distracted. However, as time went on, I realized that procrastinating in chapel and conference attendance ultimately made me get the "short end of the stick" since I had to pay Biola money in exchange for turning in chapel or conference makeup forms. However, it was the crucial realization that I was missing out on some awesome worship with my peers and potentially life-changing sermons that inspired me to desire attending. Not procrastinating would have benefited me financially and spiritually; finishing your chapel and conference requirements on time is worth it.
2. Stay away from Hot Cheetos Puffs: The Biola convenience store has a plethora of drinks and snacks for the students who are always on the go. It has the essential M&Ms, Lifesavers fruit candy, and the always popular microwaveable macaroni and cheese. One snack that all should stay away from is the Hot Cheetos Puffs. Unlike the regular Hot Cheetos, the Puffs is spicier and more addicting. When consumed heavily, the snacker will experience a digestive implosion and perform diarrhea in the wee hours of the night. So, unless you like staying in the bathroom for numerous hours, treat the Puffs like the Bubonic Plague.
3. Do not go to Disneyland on the weekdays: During my three years at Biola, I was surprised to learn that a lot of Biola scholars journeyed to "the happiest place on earth" during the school week. This was very perplexing because the Biola student body has so many responsibilities to do daily, whether they be classes, chapels, meetings, or playing sports. By going to Disneyland regularly instead of focusing on school, my peers are exposing them to severe levels of stress(es). They will probably have to make up for lost time by possibly doing several all-niters in order to catch up. Doing this consistently will undeniably be detrimental to their spiritual, physical, and psychological health. In order to prevent these negative emotions from affecting you, please, go to Disneyland on the weekends. That way you will be able to enjoy adventuring with friends more without having to worry about homework deadlines.
4. Participate in a Bible-study group: You might be asking yourself, "Really, be in a Bible study group in a Bible college? Is not that a cliche?" I highly recommend taking part in a Bible study, because the guys (or ladies) in it will probably be some of your closest, if not the closest, spiritual brothers, sisters, or mentors you will have throughout your college career. Studying the Bible, praying, and eating meals together will help develop a spiritually healthy and strong lifestyle. Practicing these responsibilities will also be instrumental in your post-Biola life.
5. Watch Netflix sparingly: This is possibly the hardest discipline for Biola students to master, especially since popular shows like Friends and Parks and Recreation came out; I get it, I am addicted to Korean historical shows. However, similar to my argument for point number three, if you do not establish restrictions for your Netflix watching, you and your college career will be in dire risk. Please, for the love of everything wholesome and nice, train yourselves in watching Netflix only a few times during the regular school week. One way to discipline yourself is to watch a TV episode after doing, say, three hours of homework. Doing this will not only benefit you in terms of performing the assignments more efficiently, but also make school work more worthwhile and fulfilling.
