How to do College Right (or any other stage in your life, for that matter)

Last Sunday was our Annual Senior Banquet, and our Pastor, Fr. Will, joined us to share some words of wisdom with our Seniors. If you are graduating from high school this year, and you want to know how to keep your faith in college, read on! However, everyone can benefit from this advice...

The First 72 Hours Are Critical

Studies are showing that what a student does within the first 72 hours of being on campus is often a strong indicator of what they will do with the rest of their college career. The first three days of college often sets the tone for the entire experience. Therefore, make sure to get involved at your local Catholic Newman Center. Reach out and make friends with other like-minded college students so that you can start your college experience on the right foot.

Sunday Mass No Matter What!

In the movie, Draft Day, Kevin Costner plays the role of the general manager of the Cleveland Browns. The movie revolves around the craziness of what happens surrounding the NFL Draft and the surprising decisions Costner makes for the future of the Browns organization.

Throughout the movie Costner is faced with many crucial decisions, and each time he must make one of these decisions he steps aside to look at a folded up piece of paper in his pocket before making his decision. When Costner selects Vontae Mack, a linebacker from the Ohio State University, with the number one pick instead of Wisconsin quarterback, Bo Callahan, the entire NFL world is shocked. There was incredible pressure and expectation to select Callahan with the number one pick.

At the end of the movie, we find out that the following expression was written on the folded up piece of paper: “Vontae Mack, no matter what.” Costner knew that he would be tempted to abandon the player who he believed was the best player in the draft for someone else. He wrote that expression down to remind himself not to be led astray by the temptations of others. Every time he was tempted to abandon Vontae Mack, he looked at the folded paper in his pocket.

The same is true with our relationship with Jesus Christ in college. As a new college student, you will be tempted in so many ways to skip Sunday Mass. Sporting events, study groups, socials, and all kinds of other activities will be fighting to get your attention. The Evil One will tempt you with the thought, “It’s no big deal – it’s just one Mass.” Unfortunately, it is a big deal, and it usually ends up being more than just one Mass. When you go off to college, make sure to adopt the Kevin Costner Draft Day principle: “Jesus Christ – Sunday Mass, no matter what!” Never let anything get in the way of going to Sunday Mass.

Don’t Let Non-Catholics Tell You What Your Catholic Faith Teaches

The academic world often has a chip on its shoulder when it comes to the Catholic faith. All kinds of groups and professors will feed you lies about what the Catholic Church teaches, or present you with false history about past events such as the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition. Don’t be fooled. If you are taught something strange about the Catholic faith, look it up. Seek validation for what you are being taught. Read what the Church actually teaches about controversial issues, rather than swallowing what some political science, sociology, or psychology professor [1] tells you while going off on a tangent in class. Spend some time reading history books from various perspectives, paying close attention to citation of sources, before being swept away by the anti-Catholic bias that is present in much of the academic world.

Take Your Studies Seriously – It’s Your Temporary Vocation

When you are a full-time student, it is your temporary vocation. God wants you to commit to your studies. Read the books that are assigned to you. Do your homework. Remember, you are there to learn. Reading and doing homework is an essential part of learning. However, don’t become so involved in your studies that you forget about the other things in life that are also important (your family and faith, to name two).

Get Involved In Activities That Are Edifying

I love the word, “edifying.” It shares the same root as “edible.” Edifying activities are those that are edible. They provide nourishment to the human person and allow the human person to flourish. So many activities in our world today are anything but edifying. Many of the activities of college life are like junk food that do not satisfy our hunger and only leave us wanting more. Find hobbies and activities that challenge you to serve others and build up a healthy culture.

Avoid The “Hook-up” Culture And Party Scene

As I mentioned above, these are activities that do not “edify” the human soul. When this becomes our college experience, instead of leaving college ready to enter into the world and make it a better place, we end up having to spend some time picking up the broken pieces of our lives sustained during our college career. Instead of a readiness to enter more deeply into the world to help transform it, many college grads find themselves confused and lost, unable to discern where to go or what to do because they wasted the last four (or more) years in an unhealthy environment.

Take early classes and try not to sleep in too much.

I know what you are thinking: this tip was a difficult one to read. However, please hear me out. I have found that when I sleep in too late, the day almost always ends up being wasted. Even on my day off, I try not to sleep in too much. Taking early classes helps build a healthy discipline in your life that will encourage you to stay on top of your studies and take advantage of daily opportunities. In addition, taking early classes helps you avoid the temptation for late-night partying, which as I mentioned above, is not very edifying.

Sign up for a weekly holy hour in Adoration.

I double-dog dare you give one hour a week to Jesus in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. One hour a week in front of the Lord will change your life. Do it for six months straight and you will understand what I mean. Adoration is where I heard God calling me to be a priest. It is where you will hear God’s voice in a profound way.

Go to confession every four to six weeks.

Going to confession keeps you humble, gives you the grace of forgiveness, and strengthens you so that you can be a good disciple of Jesus Christ. Just as a car needs a healthy tune-up every so often, so too does the human soul. Confession provides this wonderful service.

Spend at least five minutes in prayer each day.

Let me give you a little prayer activity that you can do everyday. It is called, “Fr. Will’s Five-Minute Prayer.” First, spend two minutes thanking the Lord for all the blessings in your life. Be specific. Be thorough. Do not hold back on God when it comes to gratitude. Give him at least two minutes here. Second, spend two minutes telling God what you think you need. Again, be specific. Be thorough. God is invested in you. Your concerns are His concerns. Third, after thanking Him and asking Him for help, offer at least one minute of silence for the opportunity for God to tell you what He has to say. Clear your mind and heart and give Him at least one minute to speak. Force yourself to be quiet and listen. If you do not hear anything right away, do not be discouraged. Pay attention to the desires of your heart during this minute (or longer) of silence. God often speaks through these desires. It may take you a while to “hear His voice,” but when you do, it is an incredible experience.

Congratulations, Class of 2016!

You are in our prayers.

[1] If you happen to be a political science, sociology, or psychology professor, please do not take this comment personally. Unfortunately, in my academic experience, political science, sociology, and psychology professors tend to be the “usual suspects” when it comes to anti-Catholic biases and tangents.

#graduation #classof2016 #collegelife