{"id":4375,"date":"2017-06-12T10:15:51","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T15:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/?p=4375"},"modified":"2017-06-12T10:15:51","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T15:15:51","slug":"college-students-desk-reflections-college-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2017\/06\/12\/college-students-desk-reflections-college-years\/","title":{"rendered":"From the College Student’s Desk: Reflections on my College Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Savannah Cottrell<\/strong>
\nIf I told my college freshman self what I\u2019ve experienced over the past four years, she probably wouldn’t have believed the things I told her. She wouldn\u2019t have expected that God would lead her on the incredible path that she is traveling now. I am about to embark on my final semester in college. Everyone\u2019s college experience is different, but I am so happy that I attended a Christian university, simply because I wanted to grow spiritually as well as academically and socially. I can proudly say that I have enjoyed my college years, and I look forward to the next chapter of my life when the time comes. For now, I want to reflect on and share with you my top five things that I have gained from my four years attending university.
\n1. I\u2019ve made closer friendships than I ever thought possible. Proverbs 18:24: \u201cA man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.\u201d<\/strong> There is something to be said of finding people of like faith. When I found my crew of best friends through college, I found the friends whom I know I\u2019ll stay in contact with for a lifetime. Not only do we all share meals and movie nights, but we also hold Bible studies, and we can discuss deeper spiritual issues. These things have brought us so much closer, and if you can find the same, you will be able to benefit so much from it.
\n2. I\u2019ve learned to keep my standards high when it comes to relationships. Ephesians 5:25: \u201cHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.\u201d<\/strong> I have learned that there is no reason to pursue a relationship with anyone you do not completely trust. Also, I have seen the good that comes from men pursuing women and establishing leadership spiritually as well as in other aspects. I feel that if the man leads in the relationship in the beginning, they will eventually be able to lead the household. Godly men and women do exist, and it takes patience to wait for the right one for you.
\n3. I\u2019ve discovered the value in personal daily Bible study. Psalm 119:11: \u201cYour word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.\u201d<\/strong> I\u2018m thankful that I attend a university that holds daily chapel for its students. However, I\u2019ve grown the most spiritually from keeping a habit that I’ve formed and established since before I started college\u2014daily Bible reading. I gain so much from personal Bible study and seeing where my reading of God\u2019s Word takes me each day. I\u2019ve found that reading the Bible has helped me keep God and His promises at the forefront of my mind, which is important since college life can be stressful at times.
\n4. I\u2019ve learned that social media is a powerful thing, especially at my age. Matthew 7:12: \u201cTherefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.\u201d<\/strong> Social media has the ability to both encourage and discourage us. In college, I\u2019ve used social media platforms to keep in touch with friends and family, and I\u2019ve also used it to keep track of on-campus events and activities. While social media can be a great means to reach out to peers, it must be used with discretion, and with the foreknowledge that a real person is behind each status update on a newsfeed.
\n5. I\u2019ve learned that staying in touch with family can and will keep you sane. Exodus 20:12: \u201cHonor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.\u201d<\/strong> During the school week, when I\u2019m stressed out or just want to chat, I\u2019ve found that calling home helps out a whole lot. Calling home also helps my parents, too, since I\u2019m two and a half hours away from them. Those quick minutes on my cell phone during the day or night can make all the difference and put both my family and me at ease.
\nSince I\u2019ve been at college, I\u2019ve learned these various things and more with the Lord\u2019s help. Along with these, there is one lesson I\u2019ve learned that reaches beyond anything I\u2019ll ever learn in the classroom. I\u2019ve learned to keep maintaining my relationship with God as my ultimate goal. No matter where I go after graduation, or what I experience in my last semester of university, this will help me the most.
\n\u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?\u201d (Psalm 27:1).<\/strong>
\n 
\nThis article was featured in the February 2014 issue of Think Magazine. Print or download this article\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Savannah Cottrell If I told my college freshman self what I\u2019ve experienced over the past four years, she probably wouldn’t have believed the things I told her. She wouldn\u2019t have expected that God would lead her on the incredible path that she is traveling now. I am about to embark on my final semester […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[59,66],"tags":[173,197,61,868,869],"class_list":["post-4375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christian-living","category-think-excerpts","tag-christian-living","tag-college","tag-faith","tag-millennial","tag-not-a-statistic","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nFrom the College Student's Desk: Reflections on my College Years - Focus Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2017\/06\/12\/college-students-desk-reflections-college-years\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From the College Student's Desk: Reflections on my College Years - Focus Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"by Savannah Cottrell If I told my college freshman self what I\u2019ve experienced over the past four years, she probably wouldn’t have believed the things I told her. 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