Let’s talk about college

I bought my first car a few weeks before I started my first semester in college.

It was a 1993 Honda Civic that I paid a man who lived on a small mountain in the middle of nowhere $800 for – and no, I’m not kidding. It was a weird blue-ish color. I had to put a quart of oil in every time I filled up the gas tank. I named it Roosevelt because I couldn’t decide if if I wanted to call it “Teddy” or “FDR”, so naturally I went for something in the middle.

My mom used to make the joke that the best way to get a college student closer to God was to get them a car that they had pray over each time they drove it.

Spoiler alert: she had a very good point.

Needless to say, this car was an experience. Roosevelt lasted for the better part of two years before breaking down and leaving me stranded three times in a span of two weeks, if I remember correctly.

I’m going to shift gears and skip ahead a bit now.

Spring Break 2017 starts next week for me. And I’m excited about it. Not because I have anything special planned – I’m not going to the beach or on a trip – but because I’m in my last semester of my undergraduate education and I am so, so, so tired of college.

When I say tired, I don’t mean tired like I think college is a waste of my time (it isn’t). I mean, I’m tired as in I have done my time here and I really would like my diploma as soon as I can possibly get it because the dues have been paid (figuratively and literally).

That being said, I do not regret my undergraduate years. They have been educating in more ways than one.

I’ve learned a lot of things, from core classes to major and minor related classes. It hasn’t been easy though. In fact, I’ve had some very low points academically, but even when I wanted to walk away I was still learning.

Now while I have grown academically speaking, I believe that I have also grown spiritually speaking.

I’ve been challenged in my faith over and over, more times and more ways than I can count by professors, other students, friends, and even cars.

And I have been better for it. I’ve had to spend more time reading God’s Word, I’ve had to spend more time in prayer, and more time seeking out Godly counsel (and yes, that includes my mother who I am convinced is a saint).

Spending time with God is a not a “quick-fix” for failing grades or terrible professors, and it’s not something that should be taken lightly as it takes discipline and there will more than likely be a fair amount of struggle – I know that’s true for me.

But that’s not the point I’m trying to make. I’m trying to say that college is a unique opportunity to grow with God if you’re willing.