By Shelby Peck | Copy Editor
You made it. Maybe home for you is hours away, or maybe you’re from Lorena and only had to drive 15 minutes down Interstate 35. Wherever you come from, you’re here. You’ve made it through those painfully awkward first few hours in your residence hall with the stranger who is now your roommate, and hopefully you’ve found all of your classes. You’ve said goodbye to your family, visited Indy and Belle and bought your first Cowboy Coffee from Common Grounds.
As I begin my junior year, I won’t tell you I have it all figured out — I don’t. What I will tell you, however, is that not only do I think you will survive at Baylor, I also believe you will thrive. It’s OK to be intimidated by the drastic change, and it’s OK to be excited about your newfound independence. What I’ve written here is advice on how to survive the jump into life at Baylor socially, academically and spiritually. You don’t have to follow it word-for-word, but I hope at least some small piece offers you encouragement for your first semester. You’ve got this!
Surviving socially
Consistent community will take time. Not everyone makes friends as quickly as they want you to believe. The massive friend group taking first day of school pictures in front of Pat Neff probably won’t be friends by November. If you miss out on the Penland Late Night invitation or the Labor Day road trip, don’t stress. There will be plenty more opportunities for you to build lifelong friendships — friendships that are often found in the unexpected. Even if certain relationships with the people you followed on Instagram in May don’t work out, you will find your community. Almost everyone else is starting over too.
Introduce yourself to the people who live in your dorm. They may not be your best friends or your roommates next year,buttheyareyourcurrent community. Your friendship can be an unexpected source of encouragement.
To all the introverts, don’t be afraid to say yes. To all the extroverts, don’t be afraid to say no. Your social life is all about balance. Use discernment to decide when it is time to study and when it is time to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Introduce yourself to anyone you sit next to in class. They may become your best friend or the study buddy you couldn’t survive the class without. Be the first to welcome and extend hospitality.
Be careful with what you wear on Halloween. You never know when those pictures on Snapchat will resurface.
Surviving academically
Start the semester strong, but be careful not to become burned out too quickly. Staying on top of assignments at the beginning will pay off in December, but if you need sleep, make rest a priority. Sometimes SparkNotes is sufficient.
Your professors should be some of your best friends. Not literally — that is not what they are there for. However, go to those 15 minutes of office hours even if you don’t want or necessarily need to. Give them a handwritten thank you note. Students who go the extra mile are students who stand out and are (usually) given more grace.
Wait to buy books. In some classes, you will never open the “required” texts. Amazon often has rental prices that are less expensive than those in the bookstore. Find people who took the class before you and ask them about their experience.
It is completely OK if you have no idea what you are doing with your life and change your major four times. That is beyond normal and exactly where I was my first semester at Baylor. Keep going. Don’t sit in the unknown; do your research, visit the Career Center, find out what makes you passionate and pursue it.
Surviving spiritually
Baylor describes itself as an “unapologetically Christian” institution. If you are a Christian or are interested in Christianity, there are countless resources for you to grow your faith and discover God. If you are not a Christian or practice a different religion, there are also resources for you to explore your beliefs. Whatever religion you practice, find a place of worship to call home. College is hard, and finding a steadfast community to support you through the rough days is crucial to your success.
Find a place to serve, through your place of worship or elsewhere. Joy comes from loving others well. In the “Baylor bubble” it can be easy to focus our mindsets on ourselves and be self-serving. Let us not forget those in our community who may be struggling and could use love and encouragement.
Lastly, I want to encourage you that God is good and has placed you here at Baylor for exactly this moment. He has good plans for your life. Whatever you think your dream internship or Greek organization could be, trust Him in the process. Rely on Him. He has you here for a purpose greater than you can imagine, and it’s so exciting to watch this next chapter unfold.
Happy first semester, and as always, Sic ‘em Bears!
