Life Out There (Getting Started)
by Rebecca Shwayri (Jan. '01)
College life poses many significant challenges to Orthodox Christians. While the intellectual atmosphere of college life is stimulating and thought-provoking, the social changes are much more daunting. As a college senior, I know about these issues from personal experience. For this first column of Life Out There, I would like to give you an idea of some of the basic necessities which will help you survive your first year of college and beyond.
Most importantly, you should figure out the nearest location of an Orthodox Church. With a Church nearby, you will have an instant spiritual community. Many of my best friends at my Church in Washington, DC went to the Antiochian Village Camp, and I was able to renew these Village friendships upon my arrival in Washington. If you do not live close to an Orthodox Church, you should investigate whether or not your university has an Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), or you could start an OCF on your campus.
Also, while you are packing away your computer, clothes, books and other crucial items that are needed in college, do not forget to pack your icons, Orthodox Study Bible, Holy Oil, and Holy Water. In other words, bring Church to your dorm room. In my dorm room, I set up a small prayer corner. By bringing these items with you to school, you will have an instant reminder of Orthodoxy.
These are just a few of the things you can do to ensure that Orthodoxy remains in your life while in college. In future columns of Life Out There, I would like to address specific issues that you will face while in college. Of course, confronting these issues becomes much easier if you have surrounded yourself with reminders of Orthodoxy.
Rebecca Schwayri is the Teen Presidential Advisor to Society of Orthodox Youth Organizations and is a senior majoring in international relations at George Washington University.
Life Out There (Balancing One’s Schedule)
by Rebecca Shwayri (May ’01)
College students face difficulties when it comes to balancing school, part-time jobs, friends, and Church. After all, it can be quite difficult to manage all the demands and commitments placed upon a student’s time. Unfortunately, some students are so determined to do well in their studies that they start to exclude all else. Education is meant to improve our lives and give us new opportunities, but if education starts to create havoc in our personal and spiritual lives, we must step back and reevaluate.
Our Lord tells us that we must work for heavenly bread. If we toil for the fruit of this world, then we work in vain: “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27). In short, we must work for the glory of God because only this form of work will endure. The Lord also tells what it means to work for Him: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29). At first glance, this does not seem too difficult. After all, we all believe in our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. A profound sense of belief and faith requires us to go one step further, however. This belief must be manifest in the works that we do.
Somehow, we must work to find a sense of balance in our lives. As students, it is important for us to do well, but we must find time to attend Church and work for God. Saying prayers daily and volunteering with our friends are simple ways for us to work for the food which does not perish.
Life Out There (Focus and Choices)
by Nadia Lawand (Oct. ’01)
No sooner do we get our schedule, books, and find our classes, then midterms are starting, papers are being written, and time is getting scarce. For many college students keeping focused on what’s important is crucial at this time. This is even more relevant with the thoughts of the tragic attacks on the United States dominating our hearts and minds. At a time like this we need to put things in perspective, and try to learn from these horrible events.
One of the most important things we learn as college students is that lessons are not only found in the classroom. Lessons are hidden in many different ways, and the key is spotting them and learning from them. In your house, on the street, in church, all around us, lessons are waiting to be discovered.
The chance to go to college is a choice that we have made. So it is up to us to make the best of this opportunity. Rather than passively going to classes and manually doing work, we need to pro-actively ask questions, search for answers and be active leaders. An important part of this is balancing our life. Between classes, church, family, and friends, time is of essence and a key in leading our educational venture.
What we make of our lives and education is up to us. God has given us all the resources in the world, therefore it is up to us to use them properly. God has also given us the gift to make choices for ourselves. As college students we need to really think about the choices we are given. It can be difficult to make decisions in such a complex society, especially with peer pressure, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Always keeping Jesus in our minds and our hearts will help us make the right choices.
We are the now of today and we need to take the most we can from all our experiences — even horrible acts of humankind — in order to be stronger, more spiritual Christian leaders in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. May all the victims of the horrible attacks on the United States rest in peace. God Bless America.
Nadia Lawand is a first-year university student (equivalent to a sophomore) at Concordia University in Montreal, specializing in Communications and minoring in Spanish. She serves as the NAC Teen SOYO Presidential Advisor. In her spare time, she owns her own communications company in Montreal called NadiaStar Communications, Inc.
Life Out There (Stress) by Nadia Lawand (Nov. ’01)
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37
At this time of the year many college students are halfway through the semester. This means two things: midterms and the end of semester crunch coming fast. For all of us, this is an extremely stressful and busy time. Between writing papers, doing assignments, and studying — time for anything else is hard to find. A big problem during exam time is our tendency to put our friends, family, and even God aside. When we are stressed and have no time, why is it we put the people who are closest to us aside?
It is God who gives us the strength to work hard, to study, and to do our best in life. And it is God who gives us the opportunity to go to college and to educate ourselves. It is our friends and family who support us and help us during these times. We need to keep these things in mind even when push comes to shove and we need to study for the big exam.
It is with God that things are possible. At such a time when we are stressed about school, we cannot forget what is most important to us. Spending a few minutes praying, an hour on Saturday at Vespers, and waking up Sunday morning for liturgy will keep our mind on God and give us the strength to do well.
For many of us, school is away from home, therefore away from our church. This shouldn’t be an excuse to put God aside. There are so many things we can do to stay close to God when we are away. First we can find out what the closest Orthodox church is near the school. If that doesn’t work out, we can try to organize a place for Orthodox students in the school to get together at certain times to pray. Now if all else fails, we have our Bible’s and prayer books to keep us close to God. Simply putting aside time each day to pray and be close to God will allow us to keep God in our minds at all times, even when we are far away.
Remember, it is God who gives us strength. Even when we are working hard in the University, away from home, not near a church, we must still take time to be thankful and ask God for his strength to be by our side during these times. With God by our side, all things are possible.
Nadia Lawand is a first-year university student (equivalent to a sophomore) at Concordia University in Montreal, specializing in Communications and minoring in Spanish. She serves as the NAC Teen SOYO Presidential Advisor. In her spare time, she owns her own communications company in Montreal called NadiaStar Communications, Inc.
Life Out There (Growing Up) by Nadia Lawand (Dec. ’01)
“You don’t get it? You just don’t understand!” I can still hear myself uttering those words to my parents in the middle of arguments. “You don’t know me!” Well, how could they know me? After all, did I really know myself? What we really ought to be saying is, “How can you understand how I feel if I don’t even understand?”
Growing up is one of the hardest stages in life — but we all have to go through it, whether we like it or not. Our teen years tend to be a time of trials and tribulations. We change, grow, and learn so much during that short time that will take us through the rest of our lives.
Our teen years are a difficult time. We yearn to be trusted, but trust must be earned. We demand freedom but we’re still at an age where we need our parents’ protection. We strive for new experiences but try not to get caught up in peer pressure. We want to be accepted by all for who we really are, but we can’t figure out who that really is.
I look at myself and I can’t help but think back on my teen years and how difficult I was. Between all the activities I was involved in — school, friends, wanting more freedom, wanting to grow up, wanting to fit in, and the pressure from all sides — I had a tendency to take out my anger in the wrong places. Getting mad at my parents and the people closest to me didn’t help and still doesn’t. I do realize now that my parents were always on my side and will continue to be in the future. And through constant prayer and self-discipline, I will be able to do all the things I want to do, and be able to say no to the things I don’t want to do, without feeling insecure.
It feels as if we’re all alone and that nobody understands, but the one thing we’re not aware of is the web around us. Throughout these difficult years, we have a tendency to try and conquer the world alone — I know I did — but there are so many people around us: our parents, our friends, our family, our church community, and most of all, God.
So the question is, “When will it all make sense?” Well, eventually your teen years will be behind you, and you’ll be wondering how it went so fast. In the meantime, don’t try and conquer the world on your own. Your parents are only trying to help you, because they want you to succeed. So be patient with them. Embrace the challenge of your teen years, and remember, you’ll soon grow out of them.
Nadia Lawand is a first-year university student (equivalent to a sophomore) at Concordia University in Montreal, specializing in Communications and minoring in Spanish. She serves as the NAC Teen SOYO Presidential Advisor. In her spare time, she owns her own communications company in Montreal called NadiaStar Communications, Inc.
History Repeating
by Jennifer Dutcher (Jan. ’02)
I'm watching my older sister, Heather. She turns to my little nephew and says, “John Jeremiah,” in that stern motherly voice. THEN she raises her menacing eyebrow so even my nine-month-old nephew knows he's being obnoxious. Heather said she wouldn't turn into Mom. But THAT really came true! The point is that history repeats itself, whether we want it to or not. I've learned this my first semester in college.
I thought college would be different. I naively assumed when I stepped into my new dorm room and looked at my class schedule, I would suddenly become a responsible adult who would know how to do everything correctly. No more tardiness or skipping class for me. Survey says? EHHH! First example: the second day of college. The SECOND day, this bubbly college student wakes up and rolls over to see that it's 8:15. Niiiice, I think — still have another 45 snoozing minutes. I sleep for another 10 when I decide to pull out my schedule again and remind myself how cool it is to be alone and responsible. Staring back at me is Music Theory 8:30. SECOND day of college, and I'm sitting in class in bright yellow pajamas.
That was almost 4 months ago and I'm still repeating my history and habits. I still skip some class for mental health days. I still leave my English Comp to do until two hours before it's due. And I'm still making mistakes in my relationships. The good news? I'm also still trying to improve.
The same is true for my spiritual life. We're all striving for sainthood but the majority of us won't make it. It only matters that we're still trying to improve. Subdeacon Jimmy Shadid once told us in our college group, “God doesn't care where you've been. He's looking at where you're headed.” The comforting thought is that we have the Church. Confession helps lead us back on the right path.
Let the good history repeat itself, but try to learn from the past. As St. John of the Ladder said, "Do not be surprised if you fall every day. Do not give up. Stand your ground courageously and the angel who guards you will honor your patience." May God bless you all and give you the courage to stand back up when you fall.
Life Out There (Preserving Our Faith)
by Nadia Lawand (Jun. ’02)
“Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God will come to know God because they know you.” — Anonymous
This quote encompasses my thoughts perfectly. Over the past few months at University, I have come to realize many things about religion, college years, and combining the two. It is extremely difficult to be an Orthodox Christian without being questioned or even put down. So how do we balance our post-secondary education and our faith?
At the post-secondary-level, the search for knowledge and truth is the main purpose for further education. We go to school to study and become knowledgeable in different areas, and at the same time we attempt to seek the truth. Unfortunately, with corporate dollars creeping into many aspects of school life, such as news programs, vendors, and advertising, school has become a place where students receive products and messages that the sponsors want them to rather than being a place to seek the truth. It has become a place where mainstream philosophies of life are promoted to be the highest. We step into philosophy classes where we are feed the idea that God does not exist and that such ideas are irrational. This is a situation I find myself in frequently, being a philosophy minor student.
So am I saying that post-secondary is good for nothing? No, don’t worry parents- I’m not saying that at all. Far from it. What I am trying to say is that we must step out of the box. As Orthodox Christians, we need to lead by example and love one another in order to bring others closer to God. We need to learn how to listen to everyone’s ideas and opinions, do research and filter out that which is harmful and false. Many of us have learned that not everything everyone says is true. When a teacher or fellow classmate says something, it doesn’t mean it is the truth. We have the power to decide for ourselves what is true and good, and it is our responsibility to seek that truth.
When I step into my philosophy classes, I am frequently the only person who believes in God, or admits to it. This usually causes people to argue with me and ask me to prove what I am saying. I usually tell them to prove to me that what I believe is false! I’ve basically come to realize that this isn’t something we can really argue, but rather we must open other people’s hearts and minds to what Orthodox Christians truly believe.
This is why we need to step out of that black box that so many members of our society find themselves stuck in. I use this expression as a metaphor for people who are closed-minded and who don’t search for the truth and educate themselves. So as we all break from school for summer fun, let’s not forget that we’re constantly learning and seeking knowledge. It is only when we are able to open our hearts to others, when we serve as an example to them, that we will help others to know God.
Going to College by Jen Kacere (Dec. ’02)
College is something that most of us look forward to as we are growing up. I am no exception and now cannot believe I am living it. I worried about so many different things, such as meeting my roommate, making new friends, how my classes would be, and so much more. I go to a small Catholic private college in Iowa and there is no Orthodox church in this city. I never really thought about how I would not be able to attend Liturgy on Sundays, but I always knew God would be with me.
As I have been at school for almost four months now, I have realized how much I really miss going to church. I grew up in a family that attended church every Sunday and not going is a major problem for me. I love it so much and even though I know God is with me, it is still very difficult. I pray, read the Bible, and do a lot with Teen SOYO locally and at the Midwest regional level. However, it is not quite the same as being in church every week.
I really have had a great transition into college life and have realized that my faith is a huge part of who I am. I came into college thinking I am going to party a lot and have a good time. It didn’t take me long to realize that to have a good time, I don't have to go out and drink. A few weeks ago, we had a tragedy early on a Sunday morning. Another first-year student who lives in my dorm went out as usual. This guy had too much to drink and no one was watching out for him and something happened. He jumped off a roof and died from massive bleeding. This was a huge problem since we have only two thousand students on campus. I realize that I am a person who is very close to God and that we all need to keep our faith all the time. I also noticed how much I really love going to church services and how I really needed the Church during this hard time. Many questions and doubts come to mind when tragedies such as this occur. I have really thought about the Church and how important it is to me. I am very glad I have grown up in such a great atmosphere of love.
One of the advantages you have being close to a church is the mutual support in times of fasting. The challenges of fasting are very hard while away at college because there isn't a huge selection in our café. I just do my best and try as hard as I can to maintain the fast. If I slip up, I just keep on going! It is also difficult to explain to others why we fast at certain times throughout the year. Resisting peer influences without local support has made me realize how integral fasting is as part of our faith.
College is a great time and I am really enjoying it. I have come to realize that there are some people who are close to God and some who are not, but this distance is only measured by personal choice. I have learned more about different faiths and what people of those faiths believe. I really see the kind of person I am and hope my faith continues to be important in my life. My advice to everyone coming to college: learn and understand the most you can about our faith and love it always!