Christian in College

Marshall Jones Jr - Friend and Blogger at bondChristian.com

This is a guest post by Marshall Jones Jr.
Someone (I wish I remember who) once told me that the benefit of attending Harvard isn’t the education – it’s the connections made. He meant that the friends made while attending the university are more important than the actual lectures and exams and diplomas. I agree. 

Think about it: anyone brilliant enough (or rich enough, but let’s assume the best) to get into a school like Harvard will probably be successful, assuming a loose definition of “success” here. Harvard just puts its stamp of approval on up and coming geniuses. So if everyone attending is already brilliant, what’s the benefit of attending? 

Friendships. 

I graduated from college last year. I’m only 20, though, so I still feel college-ish. But one lesson I’ve learned since graduating is the value of the friendships I made. 

• The day I walked across the stage, my Biology 101 exam questions no longer mattered, though the night before the exam I traded sleep for memorizing, “Kingdom / Phylum / Class / Order / Family / Genus / Species.”
• A month after walking, my GPA no longer mattered – potential employers rarely ask about it, especially since I graduated early.
• Half a year after graduating, I have a couple pieces of paper that amount to a hearty recommendation from a decent school in the middle of the United States. I’m not convinced they matter either.

But the friendships from college still matter… and they’re still very much alive. 

I was a good student in college. That means I procrastinated like crazy, made up for it by using big words (like “universalizable” and “circumlocution” if you must know), and generally found ways to play the game to win good grades. Trouble was, I didn’t spend the effort to build lasting friendships. 

They say you regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did do. That’s at least true for my college experience. Looking back, I would have made friends with everyone. 

Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg (who happens to have attended Harvard) and his wonderful creation that is facebook, we have no excuse for not knowing our classmates – and professors for that matter. Use it as a giant Rolodex – remember those for storing addresses and phone numbers? 

In one of my classes my last semester, I literally went through the class roster and sent friend requests to everyone on the list. Some of course didn’t respond, probably because they have a “don’t talk to stalkers” policy. But some did, and I still keep in touch with them because of it. 

Facebook of course isn’t the only way to keep in touch – cell numbers and email addresses work as well. I’m just saying to get in touch somehow. Then do stuff… 

Go bowling, ice skating, shopping, or my personal favorite, Ultimate Frisbeeing – anything not school related. Study groups and school sponsored events can work, but they can dry up over the summer or once you graduate. The idea is to create friendships that go beyond the university. 

Once you have friendships that go beyond school, you can begin leveraging them. If you make Christian friends, you can form Bible studies or work together at local church or outreach events. You can create accountability partners. 

If you make non-Christian friends , you can continue to be an influence for Christ in their lives. In one situation, I helped a friend return to Jesus and the church just because I mentioned that I would pray for her when she was experiencing a difficult time in her life. 

Serve your friends. Care about them. You never know where friendships will lead. 

Your years in college are probably the best years in your life for making new friends – at least it’s when you have the most opportunity to do it. Take advantage of college to build something that matters. Healthy friends glorify God more than straight A’s ever could. 

“Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 

Speaking of friending, Marshall Jones Jr. would love for you to friend him on facebook. Marshall also writes at bondChristian.com, a practical guide for serving others.

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3. Drinking in college
4. How to Stand Up for What You Believe in College – Part 2
5. Money and College