Scared of university? Wonder how you’ll handle the pressure? These tips from Cheltenham Elim student Luke Taylor will help…

 

Sex, drugs and alcohol: three things associated with freshers’ week, which is the first week of university. Three things which Christianity outwardly rejects.

So how does a Christian survive a week of supposed hedonism? This is a question I hope to address and give some tips, which helped me ‘survive’ and – dare I say – enjoy freshers’ week.

I’m studying history at the ever sunny university of Exeter. I am currently a first year who loves university and engaging in the social side of it but also deepening my Christian faith.

It’s fair to say that without tips from my sister Abi, who has just finished at Nottingham, my freshers’ week would have been quite different.

Get involved
University is an amazing opportunity to try new things, reinvent yourself, and explore. But so many Christians waste this due to the horror stories third years have instilled in them about freshers. Many Christians are told to stay strong in their faith but interpret this as not sharing their faith due to fear. This is not what God wants, he calls us to be in the world, but not of it. University is an amazing opportunity to share the gospel as people are often very open to ideas as they try to form their individual view of the world. Don’t limit yourself by staying clear of dark places, but instead be the light set on a hill.

Ask, seek, knock
On your first few days, go and knock on people’s doors, get to know the people you will be spending the rest of your year(s) with. A lot of Christians will have tell-tale signs in their rooms such as a Bible, journals or Bible verses on notes, or you could even look through their music to strike up conversation. Now don’t vet your neighbours or lead them to ask for a room transfer two days into university, but look out for signs during your first few days, as a good Christian friend can be such a help during uni. Nevertheless, be cautious of delving into a Christian bubble in order to avoid missing out on certain aspects of student life.

Set boundaries
Know your limits with regards to alcohol before you go to university, it’s much safer to overstep the mark at home with parents or trusted friends than people you don’t know. Know your limit and keep to it, if you feel yourself wavering then just stop, most people I met admitted after freshers’ week that they didn’t enjoy drinking – they just felt that everyone did it. If you don’t want to drink lots, don’t. You’ll be amazed how many people respect that.

Unashamed
Don’t be afraid to mention the CU (Christian Union). Pray for opportunities to mention Christianity, and they will come. During my freshers’ week I prayed for an opportunity and one of the boys in the common room shouted ‘anyone want to pretend they’re a Christian to get some free food?’ I replied that they could go with me as I was a Christian. The result was seven others in the common room saying they were also Christians. Don’t be afraid to mention your faith – you will be surprised how many people are Christians – a few people just aren’t willing to be the first to say it.

On the money
Freshers’ week is expensive, there’s no denying that. However, it doesn’t have to result in you eating Tesco value soup for the rest of term. My advice on money would be to budget and withdraw cash from the bank, don’t use your credit cards and don’t take them on nights out. A way of saving money is on societies – definitely join clubs, but be realistic in terms of time. You won’t be able to play BUCS (university league) for more than one sport, so don’t spend £400 joining rowing and squash as you will find your squash racquet collecting dust in the corner of your room.

Sexual purity
Whatever ideas that you have of freshers’ week in relation to sex have probably been exaggerated. My advice is to know where you stand before uni, know how far is too far, and find an accountability partner. These three things will help you stay where you want to be. It has to be a personal decision. If you go to uni with your parents’ expectations or church expectations on what you should and shouldn’t do, you are unlikely to keep them. The choices you make have to be based upon a personal decision and relationship with God. Throughout the first few weeks of university remember that everyone is in the same boat, everyone will be keen to make friends and have a great time. So don’t let nerves prevent a fantastic week of meeting new people, enjoying a newly-found independence and, of course, not yet having any deadlines!

 

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