Navigating College for Today’s Young WomanSample

Literally Adulting

Entering college is full of challenges, including the fact that people now expect you to be an adult. Whether your family expects this or your professors do, you’re learning how to take care of your own needs.

The Bible says that when we’re children, we think like children, but when we’re grown, we think like adults. Biologically, the brain doesn’t fully mature until around age 25, so for many young adults, there is a struggle between “immature” and mature actions.

From my decades of working in college settings, I’ve learned that within the area of “growing up,” students often struggle the most with communication. It’s important to start speaking up for yourself; here are some examples:

• If your professor forgets to grade your assignment, don’t hesitate to ask about it. (Be respectful, of course).
• If your dad wants you to text him every single day, but you don’t have the time, lovingly let him know how often you’ll communicate with him during the semester.
• If your roommate isn’t respecting your boundaries, have a coffee sit down, and talk calmly about the situation.
• If you need to see a dentist, but you’re used to your mom making the appointment, get recommendations or do an internet search and call yourself.

My daughter has been quick to point out that relationships center around communication. What a person does or says can get easily twisted, so prioritizing communication can help things not get too carried away. She and I dislike confrontation, and difficult talks are not fun for most people, but we’ve had to learn to speak with others and stand up for ourselves. And the neat thing is, there is wisdom in that.

Being an adult and in college is a great time to start learning how to take responsibility and communicate better. Someday, you’ll be out on your own (if you’re not already), and you’ll need to know how to get things accomplished and make relationships with others work.

Whether it’s the internet or finding helpful resources, whether it’s communicating with your parents or a dentist, the Bible tells us that we gain wisdom as we age. And—even better, perhaps—God freely gives us wisdom when we ask.

Question: What areas do you think you could improve in when it comes to growing up?

Prayer: Ask God to help you become wiser, a better communicator, and a stronger adult.