Staying Spiritually Strong Before you Start School

Kamora Shelton

McKay Student Ambassador

Physical Education

---

Getting ready for college is so exciting, but it’s also a little overwhelming. There’s so much to think about: packing, choosing classes, meeting new people, maybe even moving far from home. With all that going on, it’s easy to put your spiritual life on the back burner but, staying spiritually strong might be the most important thing you do to prepare.

As a student in the McKay School of Education, you’ve chosen to prepare for a career centered around helping and teaching others. At BYU, and especially in the McKay School, you’ll hear often that Jesus Christ is the Master Teacher. If you want to teach and serve like Him, your own discipleship must stay strong, especially when no one is there to remind you what to do.

Building healthy habits now

When you live at home, your family might help provide structure for your spiritual life. Family prayer, going to church, scripture study at the dinner table.Those things are often built into the schedule without you needing to plan much.

When you move away to college, that structure disappears. Your parents won’t be waking you up for 9:00 a.m. church or reminding you to say your prayers before bed.

Now is the perfect time to start taking full ownership of your spiritual habits. Try praying morning and night, reading a chapter of scripture a day, or listening to a Conference talk while you’re getting ready. The point isn’t to be perfect, it’s just to get in the habit of inviting the Spirit into your day. The habits you build now will carry you through all the craziness that comes with starting school. Once your schedule fills up and midterms hit, you’ll be grateful for the spiritual habits that are already in place.

Something I did to help make scripture study a daily habit was get an accountability friend. My friend and I would share a little bit of what we learned or experienced reading the scriptures, going to church or attending the temple. This helped me stay motivated because I didn't feel like I was doing it alone.

BYU is here to help

One of the best parts of BYU is how many resources you have to stay connected spiritually. There are tons of Institute and religion classes, devotionals every Tuesday, weekly ward activities, and the temple is like ten minutes away. But none of that will help unless you actually go.

It might feel awkward to walk into a new ward where you don’t know anyone, but I promise everyone’s in the same boat. Say hi to someone, sit by someone new, raise your hand in class, go to linger longer and ward prayer. It all adds up, and it really helps BYU feel like home.

This can seem exhasting, espesially if you are a shy or introverted person but I promise it is worth it! You may even be the answer to someone elses prayer by showing up and saying hi to someone. When I first started college, I thought ward prayer was the weidest thing. We gather together on sunday nights just to say a quick prayer together? But as I kept going I learned the blessings that can come from it. I met so many new friends, got answers to my prayers, and I was able to ask other people to pray for people I knew that needed extra prayers. I also met my fiance at ward prayer so I will always be and advocate that you shpuld go to ward prayer;)

Keep Christ at the Center

In the McKay School, we talk a lot about Christ as the perfect example of a teacher. He taught with love, with patience, and with power and we’re trying to do the same. That’s a huge part of why you’re here. It’s not just about getting a degree. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can lift others, in and out of the classroom.

So when things get stressful remember your why. Turn to Christ. He’ll help you through the hard days, guide you in your studies, and help you become the kind of teacher He is. I know staying close to the Savior can help you get through the hard times and make the good times even better.

College can be a big adjustment, but you’re not doing this by yourself. You’ve got roommates, friends, professors, and bishops who care. And most importantly, you have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ walking this road with you. So take time before school starts to build your spiritual strength. Start simple. Start small. Start now. You’ll be so glad you did.

---

For anyone considering a career in education, I encourage you to try it! If you have any questions about majoring in education click here to schedule an appointment with a student ambassador!