BEING CHRISTIAN IN COLLEGE

It's a diminishing discipline, Christianity as a whole, but most specifically in new western generations. In 2011, there were over 2 billion Christians globally, but that number has only experienced a decrease in the past decade. Adolescents are making a point to criticize faith, not simply abandon it. This difference between subtly losing interest and intentionally attacking a religion makes being a Christian in college difficult. Even wearing a cross necklace daily as I do, students will unapologetically blare their disapproval of the faith to me. 

Being a college student alone brings great difficulty (as I have discovered in just one semester). Couple college student with student-athlete, STEM major, and Christian... now things just got more difficult. Everyday I budget time outside of practice to complete my homework, studying and lab write-ups. I also must budget time outside of homework to read, pray, and write. Most days, it feels like there is no time to get to the latter after my assignments are complete. And while I know God sees my struggles, I still feel guilty for sacrificing His attention. In the midst of this chaos, I have had to accept that God does not expect us to come to Him in every way, all the time. He looks for us to approach Him as we can, alongside the responsibilities we hold. 

I cannot simply neglect my homework to read scripture each night. While it is necessary to extend gratitude to God for the creation He has provided, scripture is not the only way to reach God. It is certainly one of my favorites, as I learn directly from His Word, but I cannot stress about devoting perfect habit to this routine. In high school, I had time nearly every night to read. It became a consistent habit. In college, I cannot recreate the same consistency due to the increased demand. Looking at my reading habits since August, I feel guilty. In the span of 4.5 months, I merely opened my Bible 7 times. Since the beginning of 2023, I have opened it 5 times (in just 7 days). What is the difference here? Certainly the volume of my scripture study, but also the variety of ways that I contacted God.

I spent 7 nights reading scripture in my first semester of college, which makes me look like a poor Christian at first glance. How could I only take 7 opportunities to be in my faith? It feels disappointing knowing that I had a consistent routine before school started. But the truth is, it hasn't been only 7 times that I devoted all of my attention to God. Instead, I replaced a consistent routine with a variety of habits that better fit with my current schedule. I ensure to dedicate 20-30 minutes of time each night to myself. I finish all assignments, turn off my computer, and take a moment before bed for me. I started this routine to discourage myself from ending the night on a homework stress-high, or going to bed scrolling my phone. It has helped tremendously to take this window of time for me, decreasing my anxiety and heart rate after a full day of non-stop movement; however, 20 minutes isn't much time for me to fully divert my attention to scripture. I can certainly read a chapter or two in this time, but it won't be thoughtful. I will merely have read pages of words to "finish" them as part of my routine. When I read, I want to pray and invite God's discernment into my heart, make connections, and consult sources at the end for clarification. This process is much different than reading a book, which is arguably more passive. The depth of God's Word makes it difficult to grasp wisdom from it in a time crunch. Instead of worrying about reading each night, I replaced this habit with prayer, research, or book reading. 

I began a 54 day Novena in August that finished on the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. It was the first time I had truly prayed a rosary, certainly the first time by my own will. Not only did I learn the rosary, but it inspired me to educate myself more on Our Lady and the Marian Apparitions. Similarly, it pressured me to dedicate 20 minutes of prayer every night for 54 consecutive days. So while I may not have opened my Bible much during this time, I was still very much in contact with my faith. This semester, I also joined a campus club, Catholic Cardinals. We are a small group, but this community has held me accountable. We gather every Tuesday evening for alternating meetings of religious speakers and game night. On Sundays, we eat dinner together, discuss the Mass readings, then attend the final evening Mass together. I enjoy this group so much that I was thrilled to take a small position on the executive board managing the social media account. While this task is primarily for posting updates on club activities and upcoming events, I have taken it into my own hands to promote important liturgical dates as well. In the process of creating posts to remind about Allhallowtide, Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the Christmas season, I have gained new understandings of the Catholic faith myself. This position encourages me to examine the liturgical calendar and do my own research on the many solemnities of the church. Often times, I spend my 20 minutes of time at night researching these topics to educate myself.

As a new semester approaches (in 2 days to be exact), I worry once again how I will manage to upkeep my faith amidst the pressure of school. My classes are harder, labs are greater in number, and track & field meets are more frequent. The best way to describe my current feeling is anxious. The leisure of winter break has been a gift, allowing me to once again dive deeper into my faith and devote unlimited time to God. It makes me anxious to once again balance coursework, practice, faith, and generally being a college student with friends and late night shenanigans. But God does not want us to simply come to Him when it is convenient. He appreciates more than I can recognize the commitment I make each night- no matter how small. After all, He sent His son to bear the cross for our salvation. He created all creation for our benefit. And in exchange for these insurmountable blessings, He simply asks for us to honor and obey His commands. God sees the struggles we are battling, because He accounted for them far before we confronted them. As He sees all things, He is not oblivious to the endeavor that is our lives. Suffering, stress, anxiety... these are all part of being human in our flesh. They will not disappear, but neither will God. 

"I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk

among you and be your God, and you will be my people.

I am the Lord your God"

Leviticus 26:11-12

God walks among us, providing for us in those times of suffering, stress, or anxiety. Even if we do not feel "perfect enough" to be His, He provides for us regardless. Being a college student is difficult. Being a Christian in an environment of resistant college students is also difficult. It does not make it impossible, however. This semester, I pray simply to continue approaching God within the everyday, mundane moments. I may not be capable of reading, researching, and praying each day, but I can certainly dedicate at least one of the above. Being a Christian is not meant to feel overwhelming at all times. Surely we are expected to face burdens and defeat that leave us overwhelmed, but it is not meant to consume us. Think about the saying, "a jack of all trades is a master of none". Did you know that it continues: "a jack of all trades is a master of none, but a master of none is better than a master of one." 

How merciful is our God to accept our offerings in bits and pieces, never expecting us to be a master of it all.