Ever since I was a young girl, I grew up in my church. I was there four days out of the week, and it was one of my favorite places in the world. It still is, actually.
When I first moved into my dorm during my first semester here at Montclair State, I was nervous, and kind of afraid. I’d still go home on the weekends, school didn’t feel the same to me because it wasn’t home to me yet. Maybe that was why, but, my faith was one of the very things that helped me remain sane during my first year of college.
I’m not saying that everyone needs to be religious. That’s personal choice and preference. I’m not going to say that one is better than the other one because I have absolutely no right in saying that. I merely want to explain how religion comforted me in my loneliness, and maybe for some, it could be something to consider or relate to.
- It relaxes you. When I had a large exam or a project due, I’d pray the night before, and the morning of the day that it was due. It didn’t change the fact that my project was due, or that I had an exam in a few hours. It was still there, but I wasn’t as nervous or afraid for it. It provided me with this “inner peace” that I didn’t know existed.
- You realize that you’re not alone. When I first moved into my dorm, I was lonely. I didn’t know anyone at Montclair, and my shy personality didn’t help me when I was trying to make friends. I missed my friends from home… Praying helped me with my loneliness a lot. It was just a comforting feeling that God was there, protecting me and guiding me wherever I went. And surprisingly, I made really good friends. I didn’t make a lot of friends, but the small group that I made were amazing.
It’s really hard to get adjusted in college during the first few semesters, been there and done that. You’re far away from home (in some cases), and most of the time you don’t know anyone. The classes are so different from high school and more is expected of you. That’s scary… I felt that too, but my faith got me through it. It’s the one thing that’s still keeping me going at this point, and I’m grateful for it.