It is no secret that being a college kid comes with an abundance of struggles. I mean constantly having no money, always being overbooked, and hosting severe sleep deprivation due to long nights studying (and maybe some partying) is not exactly easy. Add having to decide who I want to be, and you have yourself a college student gasping for clarity. I do not want to miss out on my fun college years, but I do not want to lose focus on my Lord. Am I going to be a fun, normal college kid these next four years, or am I going to commit myself to being a fully devoted follower or Christ? Some of the biggest struggles a college Christian will confess are issues they have never prayed over, simply because the fear of rejection from the Lord is so easy to gain. “I know I shouldn’t, but I do.” It is often hard to remember that our Lord forgives and forgives and forgives, but we must learn from our mistakes.

Partying is a sin all college students struggle with. None of us want to miss out on all the funny memories, not be in the hilarious snap chat videos that end up in our group messages or get excluded from a cute picture. We all end up getting drunk, something we know we should not be doing, at the expense of a “killer insta.” Although having a little fun in moderation is not something to be ashamed of, the weekend throw down is a hard cycle to break, even with the Lord telling us not to. Chances are, the same little group will hang out at parties, meeting up with other groups, and develop “drunk friendships.” These lead to make outs, hookups, even relationships.

Dating might be the worst thing ever for a college Christian. “How am I supposed to find a partner who is willing to respect me, wait for me, and grow in faith with me? I am meeting them in all the wrong places.” Dating today is already incredibly morphed. Tinder? Bumble? What happened to a boy seeing you in a coffee shop a few times and asking you to a movie IN PERSON!?! Waiting for the right person to come along that will grow with you, wait for you, and respect you is harder than it used to be since we now live in a world of instant gratification. I know every Christian struggles with dating, but college students have it the worst, by far. Wait, y’all. Don’t date the guy you danced on the counter with at the party… just don’t.

Music choices are smaller struggles but still struggles. I love Hillsong, but I also really love Lil Wayne. I know listening to “sex, drugs, n rockNroll” isn’t exactly “classy” or “Godly” but I can not help but feel like I might be missing out on some of the best years of my life if I only have Oceans on repeat. In all honesty, though, it is kinda terrible that we drop F-bombs with our friends while we jam out in the car, then go home and pray to the man who died for us with that same mouth.