How can you keep your faith in college? Your new life on campus. Many call it the best years of your life. No parents, no curfew, no authority — basically no rules. College is four years of football games, fraternity parties, late nights leading to hangovers, and maybe some calculus homework (in case the parents ask).

There's no such thing as a 'safe' college or a 'dangerous' college. Wherever you go, you need to be prepared and victorious with an eye toward glorifying God. — Noah Riner, Dartmouth Student Body President

Pretty much everything — who you are, who you will be, the “truth” — is up for grabs. And for the first time, you’re in charge. But what many say are the best years, the church often calls the worst. Research says anywhere from 75 to 90 percent of high school seniors who call themselves Christians will abandon their faith by college graduation. That’s devastating, but it also makes sense. One invites you to Communion, the other to communal kegs. Jesus says, “I am the Truth,” while college says truth is personal and subjective, if anything at all. Seems like there are two kinds of transitioners: One loved high school and is scared to death of college, and the other is sick of high school and ready for something new. Either way, though, it’s bound to be lonely, overwhelming, and even scary at times. And either way, the transition will mark a huge change. You won’t come out the same person you went in as. College will hold things you’ve never imagined. You will hear more “isms” (pluralism, satanism, individualism) than you knew existed and face more addictions (drug, alcohol, porn, eating disorders) than you thought possible.

Something I doubt you’ll see, though, is addiction to God. It sounds weird, but I don’t think you’ll find many students wasted on Christ or hungover from a long night of ministry. I’m not advocating it, whatever it might look like. I’m just curious why, on campuses so flooded with beliefs and crazy compulsions, this would be the case. Maybe the new thing you’ll encounter is a choice of faith — a choice to believe that Jesus is who He said He is and to cling to the things He said about you. This transition won’t be a cakewalk, but it also won’t overwhelm God or catch Him off guard. If He’s really God, it can’t.

Is it possible to keep your faith in college? Let me know what you think.

I think you can keep your faith in college as long as you believe in the word of God and practice it. You need to have friends that have similar beliefs and a strong Christian background. I know this won't be easy but u gonna have to go through so much, people will convince you that being out there is better than believing in Christ. So what, it might look fun and you might be the odd one out but it's all good, who cares. U should know that if God is with you, nothing can be against you. — Noah Riner

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