Don't be a sleepy head!

First, you have to go.

You're not going to find a church if you don't ever look, so I think it's very important that you go the very first week.   Sure, you're tired.  Moving in is a pain - especially when it's 104; however, nurturing your relationship wtih Christ is critical, so get up and go.  Skip one week and it can become two; skip two weeks and it can become three.  It's easy to set a bad pattern...so get up and go!  Plus, the people you meet the first week of school will often become your friends for the whole year...so going to church can help you get in a better place!

It's going to feel different than the Youth Ministry.

Remember it's not the Youth Group.

Being part of a College Ministry isn't like being part of the Youth Group.  When you're in a Youth Group, you'll know most everyone - especially when you're a senior.  College Ministries are always a mix: folks who grew up at that church, folks who attend a local school and are regular, plus a rotating mix of members and visitors who change every week.  Imagine all the times you go home for the weekend and you'll be missing some and attending some - now multiply that out to everyone.  It's normal that getting to know College Ministry folks can be harder because there are so many different people.  And that leads us to our next point...

You can't make true friends with one visit!

It takes time to get to know folks.

Good friendships and feelings of acceptance don't happen over night.  Think about it: you don't move into the dorm expecting to be best friends with your new roommate by nightfall.  You don't start a new class and hope to have a soulmate by the time the class dismisses.  It always takes time to feel comfortable at a new job.  Well, why would all those rules of sociology and psychology disappear at church?  Yes, it should definitely be easier to make friendships at church, and I do believe it is, but you have to give it time.  You will not feel totally at ease and feel like you have dozens of new friends the first day at a new church...you have to keep coming and getting to know folks over a period of time.  Give it time and you'll find that you'll make new friends, just like you do everywhere else.

Only show up on Sundays and you'll never get to know it!

Get involved.

It's easy to take the backseat in a College Ministry.  After all, maybe you're just there for the semester or the summer.  Why would you get involved in everything if you're going to be leaving in just a few weeks - combined with how many times you go home during the semester?  Well, simply put, because you need to.  Being an active part of everything will help you spiritually and socially.  Take part in Sunday mornings, mid-week Bible studies and social events.  You'll grow spiritually as well as make the friends you want over time.  It's frustrating to a church when they hear someone didn't like it but they never got involved.  If you only show up for an hour on Sundays and don't get involved in anything else, it's going to be hard for the church to minister to you and for you to feel a part of what's going on.

Look for a place where college students matter.

Look for a church that ministers to you!

We're not saying a church has to have a huge program just for college students, but look for a church that seems to care about you.  Look for good preaching, Bible study, and fellowship opportunities.  It might be a lot like your home church, it could be quite different.  It's really up to you, and for many this is the first time where you get to pick where you go to church.  Ask friends about good churches in the area, talk to your Baptist Student Ministry to get ideas, or simply browse the internet.  Find a church that ministers to students and go visit them.  And like we've talked about already...visit them more than once.  Everyone has an off day, so don't write off a church because it didn't seem like home the first day. 

Every church is going to be different.

Try not to compare.

When you've always known one way of doing it, or you're overly attached to "the way things used to be," you're going to have a hard time.  Comparing one place to another isn't fair; nothing is going to be exactly like you've had in the past.  Don't short-circuit your chances of finding a place by writing it off as different.   Churches, and ministries within them, can be wildly different; it doesn't mean one is necessarily better than the other, but are just different.  Go with an open mind, asking God to direct you, and allow Him to show you what He has in store for you.  You may be surprised where God leads you.  It might be something just like your home church, or it could be something totally different.  Just allow yourself to experience it without comparing it to what you've known.