Beyond the Lectures

When I think back on my college years, I can't help but remember the things I learned outside the classroom. I spent four years studying textbooks, but I honestly learned the most from the people with whom I surrounded myself. You will leave college with relationships that I know will last a lifetime; with that, I encourage you to make sure these relationships are ones that will help you grow into the person God intended for you to become. It's so easy to get caught up in "college fun" and forget your character constantly is being shaped.

My advice to anyone going to school for the first time would be to surround yourself with folks who are going to challenge and spur you on in a positive way. Looking back, I'm so glad God gave me the friends He did. There were moments, though, when I was tempted to be with people who I considered to be "fun"; but at the end of the day I knew I was not going to be better because of them.

God was so faithful to me when I was in school. A lot of the time I was ignorant about what was going on around me.

Early on I didn't pay too much attention to the things I was subconsciously learning. I actually had to leave school for a while to refocus (I recommend doing it right the first time!). When I came back, my eyes were opened, not only to the importance of getting a good scholastic education, but also learning things that are good for life application. I took away so much from the good relationships I developed. Everything I learned carried over into life after college.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is, you will be heavily influenced by the people with whom you choose to surround yourself. So, be purposeful in those decisions. I went to a Christian school and still had to make sure I was cognizant of my relationships. In time, when with the wrong people, I could see their behavior slowly becoming mine. At that moment, it didn't seem like a big deal; but now, as I look back, I see how I was affected. My challenge to you is to stay focused in, but especially outside, of the classroom; have a good time but make sure you're building real relationships with people who care about who you are becoming.