Back to School – Helpful Tips for MTSU College Students – From Three of our Remnant Fellowship Youth

The year 2013 is FLYING by!  Here in the Remnant Fellowship we have already experienced Passover, Pentecost, Summer Day Camp, and we are in the middle of the incredible Days of Awe…culminating soon with the Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Harvest!  And as these beautiful days of introspection continue, our YOUTH have gone “back to school.”  From Kindergarten through College…and even through post-graduate education…our young people are thriving in their schooling.  But as we’ve learned here, the schooling years are not just about “attending classes.”  It is about shining for GOD in every circumstance!  It is about giving 100 percent and respecting the teachers and administrators.  It is about being PURE…no matter what the “crowd” of other students is saying or doing.  It is about being a LIGHT.  And our Youth are representing GOD in so many wonderful ways in these situations.  So…with “back to school” in mind, we had the opportunity to visit with a few of our college students – Maxine Whitney, Sarah Gunger, and Ashton Martin – who are attending MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University).  They took the time to share a few helpful tips…some “need to know” pointers that not only will prove to be beneficial to other students, but also will offer some insight into the MINDSET of our Youth.  They truly see their “education” as something MORE than just “going to classes.”  They see the big picture and understand that college provides a tremendous opportunity to be the LIGHTS that GOD has called them to be!  Enjoy this MTSU “back to school” advice…from practical planning to spiritual focus.

Maxine – PLANNING YOUR COMMUTE to CAMPUS – It takes about 45 minutes to get to Murfreesboro (from Brentwood), but 10-15 minutes to get to campus and parked, so if commuting from Brentwood, plan on leaving AT LEAST a full hour before your first class starts so you can have plenty of time to get to class.

Maxine – CARPOOLING and GODLY FELLOWSHIP – Carpooling is a FANTASTIC option for commuters from Brentwood.  It provides at least an hour a day, two if you ride both ways, of time with a saint.  It is AMAZING to be able to start and finish the day with saintly friends!  It’s a time to share prayer requests, answered prayers and God-stories, listen to Godly and uplifting music to charge you for the day or strengthen you at the end of the day, and get to know your brothers and sisters in Christ, strengthening those relationships so that everyone can be better for GOD!  Plus, it saves money on gas, and with different class schedules, sometimes that’s the only time you may see this friend during the week, besides church time.  I have learned SO much about God and my friends through my commutes to/from MTSU!

Sarah – PRAYER and a RELATIONSHIP with GOD – Just remember to be praying to God always!  People want to talk to you and you might only see them once…so pray you always make that time count with the right words from God!  This experience at college has definitely built and transformed my own relationship with God because you’ll find you need him more and more than you did before!

Ashton – PRAYER and GODLY FRIENDSHIP – PRAY constantly!  It is such a blessing from GOD to go to school on such a nice campus with some of our closest friends and to have someone there to point you in the right direction anywhere you go!

Maxine – PARKING – The major parking lots fill up QUICKLY.  If you get to campus after 8:00am, plan on parking farther away.  There is the Rutherford lot just off of campus with a shuttle bus that can take you into campus that is great if you give yourself enough time.  Plan on the buses taking at LEAST 30 minutes (so if you class starts at 9:40am, get to Rutherford lot about 9:00am).

Ashton – PLANNING for the WEATHER – When the weather is nice, MTSU has a beautiful campus that is easy to navigate and explore without getting lost.  With that being said, God has allowed the Fall semester to bring its fair share of rainy and even sometimes snowy days.  A small, compact umbrella that can fit in your backpack is definitely recommended to always have on hand.  It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to invest in a pair of rain boots.

Maxine – E-MAIL and COMMUNICATION – Check your MTSU email EVERY DAY! – Teachers communicate through that, share updates/changes in assignments and sometimes cancel class (You don’t want to show up not knowing it’s been canceled!) All the teachers I’ve had really ask that MTSU e-mail is used and it’s such a glory to God to be under their authority and do what they ask, staying on top over everything so that their job is easier.

All Three – USING the SCHOOL’S WEBSITE TOOLS – Pipeline is your school account.  RaiderNet is the most important tab – and through it you will find all your financial information, class schedules, add/drop classes, advisor information, textbook information, grades and transcripts, your academic standing, important messages, and announcements.

Sarah – ADDITIONAL WEBSITE RESOURCES – A great website to go on to get to know your teachers better is Koofers.com.  It tells you the frequency of tests/quizzes, how much you’ll use the book, how difficult the teacher is, etc.

Maxine – COMMUNICATION with your PROFESSORS – BEING UNDER AUTHORITY – Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to your professors early on in the year and get to know them.  Professors love students who are interested and dedicated to the class, and God blesses that being under authority through favor from them!  Also, campus classrooms can be rather chilly, so if you are prone to being cold, having a light jacket or sweater on hand at all times is a good idea.

Maxine – TEXTBOOKS and SUPPLIES – It’s best to wait until after the first day of classes to buy textbooks and supplies such as notebooks and binders because each class is different and you can never be sure what will be required, recommended, or the best method of taking notes and keeping up with work.

Maxine – The CAMPUS LIBRARY – The Library is GREAT to study in and most always gives the opportunity to see a saint, especially around finals times. There is free printing on every floor but it can be hard to find a computer. If you need a computer fast, it’s best to start on the top (4th) floor and work your way down. There is an USB printing station for fast printing (load documents on a flash drive and plug that into the computer) but it ONLY prints DOUBLE-SIDED so not a good thing to use for final drafts of papers, reports, etc.  Most computers are set up to print double-sided so be sure to change the settings before printing documents that need to be only on one side.  Printing also available in the BAS printing lab, along with free color printing.

Ashton – MORE about the LIBRARY…and SEEING OTHER REMNANT YOUTH – Forgot to print off a paper at home?  E-mail it to yourself or put it on a flash drive and you can print it off from one of the many computers on the first floor!  Working on a presentation on your MacBook and forgot your laptop?  The second floor offers a selection Mac Desktops for student use!  Looking for saints to study with?  The second floor is constantly busy with students and there is almost always a fellow Remnant youth.  Need peace and quiet to review for a big test?  The library also offers study rooms available for reservation and the third floor is guaranteed to be a silent alternative.

Sarah – LOOK for FELLOWSHIP – I would suggest definitely looking for fellowship!  Obviously classes and grades are top priority but for the freshman coming in this is the first time you really get to choose your schedule so you’ll end up having a lot more free time than you thought!  The main places you’ll find some saints are the second floor in the library with all the couches or the cafeteria (at the KUC).  If you can’t find anyone, Facebook is a great way to get connected and definitely texting!  Post your schedule on the Facebook MTSU group so you can figure out before school starts who you might be hanging out with!

Ashton – DINING, STARBUCKS, and FELLOWSHIP – If you’re hungry, the campus also has multiple options to grab a snack and usually every single one has a fellow saint studying or on his or her break so it’s also an opportunity for fellowship!  A few of these dining options are: The KUC (also known as the food court), and the recently remodeled Student Union Building.  Also located in the KUC is a favorite among many of the students, Dwight’s Mini-Mart.  Similar to a convenience store, Dwight’s offers quick snacks and drinks along with pencils, scantrons, and even a microwave.  There is also a Starbucks on campus right inside the library, but word to the wise: don’t go unless you have at least 20 minutes before your next class.  There is usually a fairly long line.

Sarah – REACHING OUT – College is a great time to reach out to other people who are also new to the college scene.  If you are joyful and sweet, you’ll already be different than 75% of the students there and people will naturally latch on to you.  It’s a great way to build other friendships and find true seekers!

Maxine – PLAN AHEAD and FOLLOW GOD’S SPIRIT – Whether it be the commute to campus, parking, or walking to class, it’s best to give yourself more time than you think you need so that you don’t have to be rushed and can stay in God’s Spirit of calmness and peace, and be prepared for unexpected things to happen, such as conversations with people God wants you to reach out to, a couple minutes catching up with a saint, etc…

 

We could go on and on with more information from these three Remnant college-aged young ladies, but that’s a good head-start on what we all pray will be a GODLY FELLOWSHIP-FILLED Fall semester…not just at MTSU but at ALL of the campuses (and at ALL AGES) where our young people are representing GOD and this Church as they are being educated.  And we praise GOD that we are being given the tools and resources…here in this Church, Ministry, and with this message…to equip them for LIFE in CHRIST!