7 Tips for College Freshmen

Many college freshmen shipwreck their college career, career plans, or even their whole life in the first few weeks of school.  Psychologists say the second greatest time of change in a person's life is high school graduation to Christmas.  These seven elements when practiced can lead to success.

1.  TREAT THE FIRST THREE WEEKS LIKE THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT OF YOUR ADULT LIFE (Because they are.).
-What a student does the first three weeks usually sets the pattern  and relationships that you will have for your whole college career.
-Develop the habits that will make you succeed.

2.  FIND OTHER STUDENTS YOU WANT TO BE LIKE AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH THEM.
-If good grades are important to you, find other students who want to make good grades.  Their habits and thoughts will encourage your own study habits and thoughts.
-We become like the five people with whom we spend the most time. Choose your friends wisely.
-If living and growing as a Christian is important to you, make friends with students who want to live and grow as a Christian and you will more likely to live and grow as a Christian at college.

3.  CONNECT TO A COLLEGE MINISTRY AND A CHURCH QUICKLY.
-Many college students walk away from their faith because they are not intentional about connecting to a ministry at the beginning.  College is busy and there are more things to do than you can do.
-Most campus and church based college ministries provide start of school get acquainted/find out about the ministry events. On 800 campuses there is a Baptist Collegiate Ministry.  Some are called BSM, BSU, BCM, etc. They are there to help you.

4.  GO TO EVERY CLASS EVERY TIME.
-The easiest thing you can do to do well in college classes is to go to class.  Most students who struggle with grades do not go to class all the time.
-Don't believe the rumor that goes around that says, "Don't worry about going to classes at the beginning."  When classes start, you start and keep on.
-Some professors even take more mercy on a border line grade, if you have been there all the time and demonstrated that you cared.

5.  UNDERSTAND THAT DOUBTS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD AND FAITH ARE NORMAL ........AND CAN LEAD TO A STRONGER FAITH.
-Some professors or other students may make fun of God and faith and raise questions you cannot answer.
-Just because you do not know the answer does not mean there is not an answer.
-Because a professor is an expert in their field does not mean that all they might say critical about God and the Bible are accurate.

6.  WHEN YOU MESS UP....DON'T GIVE UP!
-Being away from home the first time and trying to fit in, it is easy to do something contrary to your faith or moral code.  That does NOT mean you are not a Christian or that God has given up on you.
-Admit to the Lord and yourself that you goofed and figure out where to go from there.
-"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  I John 1:9

7.  CONNECT WITH AN ADULT MENTOR.
-There are more experienced adults who are there to help people just like you.  They have been there and done that.  Connecting regularly with them can be a booster shot.
-College Ministers on campus or at a Church are great mentors.  Make sure to meet one or more during your first three weeks.
-Ask about going for coffee or a coke some time soon.  They want to help.

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger and author. Check out Arliss' new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, at amazon.com. Type in Arliss Dickerson or the title.

3 Indisputable Laws Affecting EVERY College Ministry

1.  EVERY campus is different.

2.  EVERY leader has different strengths, gifts, and abilities.

3.  EVERY ministry has different resources.

Are you taking these laws in to account in what you do?  More to come on these.

Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).

College Ministers and Social Media/Technology

Ryan Scantling did an excellent presentation on Social Media and Technology at the College Ministers Fellowship in Oxford.  Here are some highlights from it.

KILLING THE INSTAGRAM GAME IN COLLEGE MINISTRY (7 Rules for Instagram in College Ministry):

-PEOPLE PICTURES ALWAYS WIN..
Instagram is not the place to feature your annuncement slides.  People go there to interact with people.  So, post pictures with people in them.

-INTERACT OFTEN..
Comment on your students' stuff with your ministry account.  Comment on your University's posts
Gain followers through HASHTAGS.
Find out what events are on campus or what hashtag incoming freshmen are using.  Follow people who use that hashtag and they often follow you back.

-USE STORIES.
This is a great place to put announcements or repost things from your students.

-SHARE YOUR STUDENTS STUFF..
Share pictures you take at your meetings and tag them.  They will share them and their followers will follow you.

-It IS ABOUT AFFIRMATION.
Twitter is where people go to be mean.  Facebook is where people go to write long essays that no one reads.  Instagram is where people go to be affirmed.  So, always be affirming as you interact on Instagram.  It is a place to encourage.

-PAY FOR ADS..
Pay for targeted ads for special events.  It's cheaper and students notice.

10 COMMANDMENTS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

1.  Be Consistent

2.  Provide Significant Value.

3.  Care About Your Audience.

4.  Engage in Conversations.

5.  Be Accessible.

6.  Make it About Them, Not You.

7.  Thous Shalt Never Spam....EVER!

8.  Always Be Listening.

9.  Great Content Builds Authority.

10. Never Underestimate the Importance of Integrity.

Ryan Scantling is the Baptist Campus Minister in Conway, Arkansas (University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, Central Baptist College)


Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry in eBook for 99 cents each at amazon.com.  FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback.

Quotes from College Ministers Fellowship

The College Ministers Fellowship held in Oxford, Mississippi at Ole Miss Baptist Student Center this year is one of my two favorite gatherings.  The other is the Summit, which is an every three year gathering of College Ministers.  I love the interaction, the idea sharing, the encouraging of one another and the just great things you here.  This year was a great balance of discussion from the Whiteboard Questions to some brief, very informal presentations by several.  Eating together is always a "relationship promoter". 

While I heard a ton of great things, some new ideas and a re-inforcement of what I think are necessary basics, here are some things someone said that stayed in my mind.  Sorry I cannot even give credit.

"When organizing your Leadership, here are two questions you should ask:

1.  What is your #1 priority?
-Why?
-So, does our Leadership Team meet and build on that priority?
2.  Are there students that have a gift or passion that we ought to have them lead out in an area even if we have to create a spot for them to do so?"

"Stop being budget driven and be vision driven."

"If you have a Center, you should do video surveillance, for the protection of your students AND the protection of your ministry."
-Some shared they have expensive commercial type systems and other simply have used some of the cheaper home, self installed systems. 
-One example given was of someone indicating their car had been damaged at the Center and requesting payment from the ministry.  Video showed the car was damaged when they arrived.
-In these days of sexual mis-conduct accusations, video surveillance can be a protection for the College Minister and others involved in the ministry.
I (Arliss) think this is concern/suggestion, whatever that should be given much greater thought by individual ministries.  If YOU are falsely accused of inappropriate conduct, do you have anything to help protect you?

Coming over the next week or so will be some notes from some of the specific presentations.  Meantime, would you help spread the Blog, "10 Things Parents of a College Freshmen Need to Know" which is on my personal facebook page and on "College Ministry Resources by Arliss Dickerson" facebook page.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at amazon.com.  FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback.