THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE LIFE: is a series of reflections about issues and questions related to college life and faith. Eventually, it will allow student comments and additional thoughts about the subject. The one that follows is oriented especially to Freshman. Scroll down this page for further topics.

Thinking about your life in College….
 
Welcome to one of the great  growth experiences and privileges in life; so many opportunities, so many challenges; so much hard work, so much fun; so much to be learned in and out of the classroom…. Lucky you. Blessed are you.
           
One of your biggest questions will be how do I fit in? Where do I belong? Who will be my friends? But consider another set of questions:  WHO am I? Who do I want to be? Sometimes the second set of questions get far less time and energy than the first set.
 
College is a place where you can develop your authenticity, where you can become what you want to be. That will not happen without a struggle and without some mistakes. Someone once said, “the only real mistake is the mistake from which we learn nothing.” 
 
 
College is a time when you can experiment;most college students try out new things and look for new experiences.   It’s one of the ways we grow. Some experiments lead to successful growth and change. Other experiments can be self destructive. Discern the difference!  
 
 
College is a time when your relationship with family will change; for many the change will be significant; for others, the change will be more subtle and gradual.
 
College may test and challenge your faith. That’s a good thing.   Some students will find that their faith may be a struggle every day. Some days your faith may be in a fog.  Faith grows when it is tested. Many college students are still trying to figure out their faith. For eighteen or more years parents, teachers and clergy have been handing you answers. But now is the time to consider whether those answers are truly your own.
 
Do I want to be a spiritual person? Do I want to be a person who is religious? Do I believe in Jesus and want a strong relationship with him?  And how can I be religious and be human and have a good time? Great questions! Hang out with people who are looking for the same. Take some time for prayer and quiet. Find a spiritual advisor that you can talk to.  Some think that the choice they have is between being religious and having a good time. That’s a false choice. Religion is not just about “Don’t do this” and “don’t do that.”
 
“So now we must ask: is the Christian faith also for us today a life changing and life sustaining hope? – is it a message which shapes our life in a new way or is just “information” which ,in the meantime, we have set aside….” (Pope Benedict)
 
 How does God fit in my life? ( We will have another page about that question)
 
Will I go to Church? And what do I get out of it? ( We will have another page on that question) What about my Catholic beliefs? How do they affect my life? What if I have doubts? Or what if I really disagree with something the Church teaches? Questions are good.  (More on these later.)
 
One of the big discoveries on campus is how many different kinds of approaches there are to life, how many opinions and world views. You will meet people from many different religions and no religion at all. You will meet anti-religious people. You will meet the very conservative and the very liberal. You will meet gay people. You will meet people who are Pro-Choice and those who are anti-abortion.  You will meet the super-smart and the not so smart, the depressed, the loner, the angry. You will meet people who are out to change the world and those who could care less. You will meet people who know exactly what they want from life and those who haven’t a clue and quite a few in between. College life should not be a battle ground between diverse approaches. What can we learn from each other? They key virtue in a culture of diversity is compassion. If we need to tell the truth, let’s tell it in a loving, gentle way, always respectful.    
 
And then there is sex, drugs, and ALCOHOL.   Easily available, they are right at your front door or down the street. Let’s admit that they are powerful forces in our lives, more powerful at times than our will power or the promises we make to ourselves. We all want to feel good and have a good time. A key reflection for you will be WHO DO I WANT TO BE? WHAT KIND OF LIFE DO I WANT TO LIVE? WHAT DOES GOD CALL ME TO BE?  What are my values and how do I live them?   Do I want to live my life with a purpose that is more than feeling good?  Are there some other ways to feel joy? 
 
God bless those ( and they are many)  who struggle with sex, drugs, and alcohol. If you struggle with one or all three, the ultimate temptation is to not care, to think they really don’t matter, everybody does them, it will just happen again anyway.  Bottom line is this: you are a person who is filled with God-given human dignity and a vast potential for goodness and purpose. The struggle is to stay in alignment with dignity, goodness and purpose. It’s not easy for most people. Stay in touch with God and stay in touch with others who are working on their own dignity, goodness and purpose. Take advantage of the sacraments. 
 
 And finally, it’s important to stay in touch with the question WHY AM I HERE? Do I want something more than just a degree?
 
The Butler Catholic Community is here to support you in a time of great opportunity!