Posted on 05/22/2014 9:50:14 PM PDT by iowamark
Last summer, the University of Iowa earned the Princeton Review’s annually awarded title of "No. 1 Party School" in the United States.
But I am emerging from my four years of undergraduate studies at Iowa with more than a bachelor’s degree: I’ll be leaving with a changed perspective on the lifestyle of the American college student.
As a Catholic woman, the real highlight has come in these final months of my time in Iowa City, when three years of floundering led me beyond the stereotype of a partying college student and toward a deeper calling. Being "in the world but not of the world" is a difficult task to master in college. In the midst of my struggles to meet this balance, I’ve been pointed in the right direction by Scripture, stories of the saints and the counsel of fellow Christians. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
Choose friends wisely. "Do not be led astray. ‘Bad company corrupts good morals,’" 1 Corinthians 15:33 says. The wisdom of this passage cannot be underestimated. Inevitably, you will be affected by your friends.
I was a transfer student when I arrived on campus. I was desperately anxious to make connections with my peers. I quickly found, however, that these girls did not share my values or my belief system. As Proverbs 13:20 warns us, "The companion of fools will suffer harm."
God taught me that I shouldn’t settle for shallow friendships.
Instead, I seek rich, wholesome relationships with like-minded people... For, as C.S. Lewis said, "Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?"
Enjoy being single...
Date with a purpose...
Frequent the sacraments...
Use Catholic media...
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
http://www.serraus.org/serrausa/serra_connect.htm
Catholic Connection.
Helping college bound students stay connected to the Catholi church.
(A letter is sent to the college’s Newman Club with news of your student’s arrival in the fall. Then the Newman Club will contact them the moment they get on campus. Great program started by the Serra Club.)
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