Growing up, religion always played an important part in my life. We were the family you would find sitting in the front row of the church just so my younger sister and I could see the priest. As a young kid, the concept of it all never made any sense to me, and I was skeptical how true it was. Gradually, I began to find my way and became more involved in masses and in our youth group.

Then I went to college.

Suddenly, I didn’t have my parents waking me up for Sunday mass anymore. I didn’t even know where the nearest Catholic church was. Truthfully, I still don’t. All I did know was suddenly I was a “grown up” in a strange city with no car, no Catholic friends, and some ideas I had been taught as a kid rattling around in my head. For many other college students, this may seem like the perfect set up. But I was confused. What now? I couldn’t abandon the faith I had only just begun to discover. Luckily for me, I have found new and creative ways to explore and practice my religion. I hope these tips will help other new college students grow in their faith as well.

Find a local church.

Well, we’ve only just begun and it looks like I failed seeing as I told you I don’t know where my nearest church is. That’s not entirely true. It’s just difficult for me to get to. Regardless, one of the most important things a new college student can do is attend their local faith church (if possible). No matter what you practice, there are communities of local people who are more than willing to share their faith with students. If attending a church, mosque, or synagogue is easy for you, I highly suggest doing it. It will give you a space to practice your faith and the ability to meet and make connections with community members and even other college students. These relationships are what help you to feel more connected with your faith and surrounding community.

Meditation.

Meditation is a practice used across all religions. Look to see if your campus has a meditation room. They often host guided meditations and keep it open most of the day to allow students to practice on their own time. If you’re a busy college student like me, that doesn’t mean you can’t still do it. The beauty of meditation is that it can be done anywhere at anytime. Find a quiet place on campus where you feel relaxed. Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and focus on taking steady deep breaths. Clear your mind and focus on your breathing. Slowly relax your whole body. Once you are in this state, you can use it to ground yourself, pray, or focus on a personal quality you’d like to work on, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Scripture Readings.

You don’t have to sit down every day and read sections of the Bible, Quran, or Torah for this. Pick a few passages from your holy text that have a special meaning to you. I am a person who greatly enjoys quotes, so I took those passages and scattered them around my life. Some are hanging on the walls in my room. Some are the background to my computer and phone. Some are just engraved in my memory. Words have power. When things get tough or you just need some guidance, reflect back on these words. They will help get you through both good times and bad.

Find God Daily.

One of the biggest challenges I have set for myself is to find God every day. Whether I see him in the sunshine or in the play-group kids that walk around campus, it helps me to stay grounded. I know He is with me and there is a bigger picture I must not forget about. We all need these little reminders at times. Sometimes these things help us to remember why we are here. When I am going through a rough patch, I take extra care to find the little miracles. They help put my problems into perspective and remind me of the wonders of the world. Take the challenge for yourself. Believe me when I say it’s tough some days (like at 6am during a blizzard in February) but it will help in both good times and bad.

Keep small tokens that have a lot of meaning.

In my dorm, I have a few very special items. One is a small stone given to me by a friend at my high school graduation. Carved into one side is “the David Stone” and the other side says “No problem is too big for God to handle”. When I’m stressed about school or life I grab that stone. I just sit there feeling the weight of it and thinking of what it says. It helps me to relax and refocus. I also have a Christmas ornament hanging all year long with the names of some of my high school teammates written on it. When I’m missing home or need a little pick-me-up, one look at that ornament and I am transported back to the memories we shared in the late-August sun. The point is to find some tangible object you can look at or hold to help you refocus when you feel you’ve lost your way. Keep it close, it will come to hold more meaning than you can understand.

At first, it seemed college would suck all of the faith out of me. I mean, who wants to get up Sunday morning for church when all of your friends are still sleeping? I have learned to adapt to my new surroundings without completely abandoning my faith. I hope that what I have learned this year will help more students who are struggling to find their way on their own. I won’t lie, it will be tough at times, and you will give into temptations. I am not perfect. I know this, but it shouldn’t have to affect my relationship with the one who matters more. You must remember we are all apart of a bigger plan. Learn to take the good with the bad. Accept that mistakes will be made, but forgiveness will also be granted. You just have to get back up and try again.

I did.

You can too.