80% of high school seniors who go to college fall away from the church during their first year away from home. Unfortunately, I fell in that statistic during my first year of college. Now this article isn't meant to be a moment for me to dwell on my own life, but rather insight of what happened to me and how I don't want upcoming college students to do the same.

During my first year I probably went to church with a group of college students 6-7 times. For me, I didn’t feel comfortable in this “new” place, even though there were amazing people by my side. By feeling uncomfortable, it made it extremely difficult for me to wake up every Sunday morning, be independent, and take myself to church. By simply not going to church on my own definitely took a toll; no one was around to notice if I wasn’t there, which made it easier to skip. It mostly left an impact on who I was starting to become as a person. I started to becoming quick to anger and more impatient as weeks went by. I was starting to conform to the pattern of this world.

If you talked to me a year ago, you would be hearing about how involved in a Christian college group I wanted to be in. A year ago, I wanted to be on my own and knew for certain that I’d fit right into the college groups on campus. Boy was I wrong. I obviously didn’t feel comfortable in any Christian groups on campus. I’m not going to put the blame on anything but myself for that. Honestly, I didn’t get out of my comfort zone and didn’t do things on my own.

Flash forward to this summer, I am finally starting to realize how important the church is. They not only guide you, but are also your biggest supporters. And although you may have sinned in ways that you didn’t think you would, there are always people who have sinned in the same manner as you. You are not alone. In fact, the church is the greatest place you can be when you have fallen away.

To the upcoming college freshmen reading this, do not conform. Romans 12:2 should be your anchor for your first year...

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, please and perfect will." (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Personally, I should have taken it more seriously and shouldn’t have just shrugged it off thinking it was just some random verse I learned in high school. So, please don’t make the same choices I did. I don’t regret some of my decisions I made, but there is a time and place for certain things to happen. Don’t be the Christian who is untrusting in God’s plan and just wants to take control. Have faith in everything you do and remember to not conform just because the world wants you to.