For some people, it might not make sense why a young adult would choose to go to a Christian college, but for me, nothing makes more sense.
A sense of community
I knew from the moment I visited Messiah College that it was a place of community. When visiting as a prospective student it’s uncommon for college students to hold doors open, say hello, or even ask you if you need help finding where you’re going. That’s not something that's common, so much so that on the day of my visit my dad asked me, “These are college kids?” Messiah college’s community is so important that within the first week of arriving on campus, all students are required to read and reflect on the Messiah college community covenant, which is a list of the importance of community on campus and the benefits students receive from participating in this community. I’ve always been a small town person, who kept to my own small communities, and though Messiah is a school with nearly 3,000 students in attendance, there is such a feel of community that I doubt I would experience anywhere else.
A quality education
I’m not going to brag up Messiah’s academic reputation (even though it’s really credible) but I will say that going to a school where students aren’t as worried about partying all night and drinking copious amounts of coffee to get through the day makes for a healthy learning environment. I feel like I will actually learn valuable information from my courses that I will take with me and apply in the real world. I deeply appreciate being in an environment where my educational endeavors are valued and appreciated by both my professors and my peers, and I’m truly excited to learn while I’m here, rather than just get a passing grade on my way out of here.
Genuine relationships
This goes along with the community, but being at a christian school like Messiah allows me to build genuine relationships with people from incredibly diverse backgrounds. I love being able to just walk into someone's room and have a deep conversation with them, and I love learning about the different lifestyles and aspirations of my peers.
Break down stereotypes
Messiah College, though it is a Christian school, is nothing like other Christian schools. We aren’t afraid to talk about the topics that may be considered taboo in christian culture, and we are open and loving to any and all people who may choose to attend this school. In my first week as a student here I attended a seminar entitled “Safety Zone” The song playing as we entered the room was “Let’s Talk About Sex” by Salt-N-Pepa and everyone was anticipating a lecture about not having extramarital sex. Rather, the seminar was about campus sexual assault and the many resources available to us in the instance of such an occasion, and though they mentioned that our school urges students to remain healthy on a sexual and spiritual basis, they made it clear that our lives are our lives and our decisions are our own decisions and that each of us will be accountable to God and ourselves for the decisions we make. I love going to a school that accepts me as I am and isn’t afraid to talk about and address the issues that so often are ignored in Christian culture.
The most exciting thing about being here is anticipating the amount of growth I will experience during my time here. I know from the academic caliber of my classes that I will grow immensely academically, but I am incredibly confident that I will also grow on a spiritual level that I couldn’t get at any other school. There is nothing quite like going to a math class where the professor reads a devotion and prays for the class each day before starting the class, and nothing compares to the feeling of safety and peace when I climbed a steep hill and sang worship songs with the fellow people in my building on the first week of school. I know I am safe here, and I know I will grow here. That is why I chose to come to a Christian college, and that is why I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
