On a Secular Campus

I’ve been home from school now for a few weeks, and it is really nice to be back at my home church family. I missed it a lot. Being at college, it was a conscious, difficult decision to make to go to church and to stay in the word consistently. There was no one telling me to do so. It was all up to me. Now, at home, it’s so much easier. I smoothly fell right back into the routine I’ve been going through my entire life. Going to church every Sunday with my family. I definitely missed that. I missed going to a place where everyone knows me and shares my faith. I’m thinking of my summer at home as a time to “recharge” my faith and spiritual life. I know that being raised in the church is what helped me get through a year in the secular world. And now that I have experienced college, I know what it’s going to be like next year, and again, my relationship with God and His word is what’s going to keep me grounded.

In all honesty, It has been a bit difficult adjusting to living at home again. For the past nine months, I’ve considered my school to be my home. Which I still do to a certain extent. (As a side note, I’m also allergic to my pets at my house, so adjusting for me has meant many trips to Walgreens and Urgent Care for massive amounts of allergy meds). My family is also having to get used to me living with them again. They’re realizing how different my life has been at school and that I am an adult now. They don’t have the same rules for me anymore. They don’t tell me when to be home, or where I can and can’t go. My parents are not as responsible for me as they used to be. I am now responsible for myself. Of course, they still want to know what I am doing, because they’re my parents and they worry about me.

As for summer work, well, I’m currently in the process of getting a job. I’ll hopefully be getting an internship that’s related to art and design, so that will look good on my resume. Art is a difficult field to work in, so this possible internship would really help me out. I also really need money for college, of course. (Prayers are always helpful!) College is very expensive, and I thank God that I am currently able to attend. I know that’s a privilege that many people do not have.

I’m still having a hard time believing that my freshman year of college is already over. It went by so fast. I’ve had so many different experiences. Some that I never could have expected. I’m so grateful for all the new friends that I have made. I’ve grown closer to people in one year of college than I had in four years of highschool. I feel like I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned a lot about others, and also about myself. And, of course, I’ve learned a lot academically speaking. Overall, my first year of college was about as great as I could have asked for, and I just pray that this coming year will be just as wonderful, if not, more so, and that I’ll learn even more and grow even stronger in my relationship with God.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Contributed by H.A.