Ten Things Before You Go to College

When I was in seminary, I led a small group of 4 high school guys for four years. We started meeting together when they were freshmen, and I got to see them graduate and head off to college. They all went to my alma mater, Auburn. (War Eagle to that!) The last topic we talked about were 10 things before they headed to college.

Last year, I fleshed these ten things out a bit more to write Ten Things Before You Go to College. In this short book, I outline ten things that I wish I had thought about before I headed off to school. This week, I released the full-color print version!

One of the greatest things about college is that your time is your own– there just seems to be more of it. You get to choose what you're going to do and when. If college was a long time ago for you, do you remember how that felt?

In Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul encourages us like this:

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

Paul wants us to look carefully at how we spend our lives, making sure that we don't waste a moment. So what does that mean? Does it mean that we should spend all of our days locked away reading the Bible? I don't think so. Jesus sure didn't appear to do that. But we should grow to love God's Word as we live a life full of healthy friendships with other people.

I think Paul wants us to realize that time is not on our side. Ultimately, it will turn on us. Whether it's a long time or a little, we all have limited time on earth. Are we living for what really matters?

I discuss things like this and more in 10 Things Before You Go to College. (I even tell the story of forgetting my Mom's birthday!) I hope that this can be a helpful resource as the next generation prepares for the next phase of their lives.