I will not be Attending a “Christian” College

College, a journey we’ve all been looking forward to, yet one of the biggest decisions of our lives.  You start to google to find out what options you have, before you know it you are lost.  Lost in the long list of all the different school, the pressure seams to build and you don’t even know what you want/need anymore.  If your smart or gifted then schools “fight” for you, if your average (like me) then you got to roll with the punches and find the school for you.  As I go about finding my college, I now know that I won’t be attending a Christian college and here is why.

Being a Christian is so much more than following a religion and set of “rules” brought on by a church.  It is the following Christ in every aspect of our lives, and I feel that we have lost that in many ways as a Christian community.  Why would I go to a school when I don’t agree with all that they believe in?  From the experiences I’ve had in the past I know that any school/organization that I feel should be having a strong impact on the community ends up disappointing me.  I tend to have high expectations for those places and the people in the organization.  My main reason for not going to a Christian college is that I would be setting myself up for disappointment, and I believe that it won’t be the best place for me. 

I’ve been homeschooled for about five years now and I wouldn’t change this experience for anything.  When first becoming homeschooled one thing that frustrated me was the fact that I didn’t have anyone to “minister” to.  At youth group they would always challenge us to invite our non-Christian friends.  I didn’t have any of those at the time.  That was a blessing in descise God was calling me to form a strong relationship with Him so I could impact the lives of other Christians around me, and build a strong foundation in Him.  Now is my time to act, I’ve been sheltered, I’ve been raised on a strong foundation.  Now it is time to show others who I am.  My time to be pushed on my own, I have been raised to be independent and free.  It isn’t the time for me to continue to live a sheltered life.  I grew up singing “Hide it under a bushel, NO. I’m going to let it shine, this little light of mine.”  Continuing to only surround myself with other Christians, always leading a sheltered life will hide my light under a bushel.

            Life is a journey of finding yourself and a challenges to constantly make God the reason why we do everything.  Often people say that college is your time to make mistakes and find yourself.  I would beg to differ, life is about finding yourself, we are constantly changing.  College will change each of us, we will make friends, we will lose friends, we will break down, and we will become stronger.  In my decision the biggest question I faced was, “Are you strong enough to love those who may not love you?”  As I have been challenged in new environments I know now more than ever that through God I am ready.  My parents have worked hard to raise me into who I am.  My faith has been shaken, but I still stand.  I am choosing to not go to a Christian College so that I can show the world my light and while I could do that at a Christian college I know that I can accomplish so much more attending a school where the students need to see the difference in me.  I am not perfect, I am broken in millions of ways, but I am strong through Him and this little light of mine is ready to shine!

~Lizzy

Being a Christian, homeschooled teen many might expect this post to be written differently, and I don’t expect everyone to agree with me on this subject.  As pressure builds for us young adults to choose our futures, we also have to figure out what we are ready for.  What have we been raised to accomplish?  How strong are you?  What struggles might you face?  Are you I prepared?

Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below!  I would love to hear what you have to say.