Navigating College for Today’s Young WomanSample

No One Warned Me About The Syllabus

Going to college brings much excitement and anticipation, but it can also bring anxiety and worry. You may be nervous about making friends, living with roommates, or succeeding in classes. (What if RateMyProfessor is not accurate and my professor is more like the Grinch?).

Over the years, my students have made it clear how much they dislike the first week of college because of one thing: The Syllabus. When a professor hands out a course syllabus, they sometimes forget that students are receiving another three to four of these from their other professors.

These syllabi—A.K.A. TORTURE MANUALS—discuss college policies (which you can read if you need a cure for insomnia), along with course expectations and assignments. Within a matter of days, you’ve seen lists of every project, essay, quiz, and test you will take, and it feels overwhelming.

Maybe even discouraging.

Suddenly, quitting school and working full-time as an undersea boat cleaner doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

Or maybe you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind the tormenting-syllabi, but your new suitemates won’t even look your way. You question if something’s wrong with you and feel so insecure that you doubt you’ll ever make friends.

Maybe back at home, your family is in shambles, and you worry for them.

Maybe you’re struggling financially and have no idea how you’ll pay for your textbooks.

When the world’s weight is upon us, we can fall into a tailspin of traps, such as negativity, depression, anxiety, complaining, isolation, or disjointed relationships. When we focus our thoughts and energy on circumstances, we often forget to pray. Sometimes it feels better to ruminate in our misery, vent to others, or do nothing because it seems like too much to handle.

To get through college with fewer of these reactions and thoughts, we slow down and give our problems to God. While life is never perfect, and we may always have something going on, God does promise he will give us peace and rest when we turn these worries over to him.

Question: What are you worried or anxious about right now?

Prayer: Take a moment to turn the phone and computer off. Rest and pray. Take each anxious thought and ask God to give you the strength to walk through it. Then, ask him to help you let go so you can complete tasks one step at a time.