Leaving university and going into the real world, or indeed heading back home, can be a daunting and exciting prospect. Three recent graduates share their experiences:

New challenges

Six years ago I graduated from university, where I had been involved in the Christian Union. It was a wonderful time, helping me grow as a Christian, and form good friendships. I am very thankful for the amazing teaching I received and the opportunity to serve, including with international students and overseas mission trips.

I was quite confident and enthusiastic to serve the church, yet leaving the CU and my city presented me with a whole set of new challenges as a Christian. Aside from needing to make new friends and settle in a new church, I now had the responsibility of handling money, of putting into practice what I had learned, and to understand what it meant to serve God in the workplace, with a whole new set of temptations. It took a long while to get used to the new routines and to learn to use my time well. Some weekends felt particularly lonely after the crowds of university, and sadly I know of some who have slowly abandoned their faith through these new challenges.

Unexpectedly I found myself in a corner of my office with three other Christians, who were part of a wider fellowship at work, so it was brilliant to be able to share with them and support one another. I would encourage anyone graduating to wisely share your faith and also seek out other Christians, to learn from them and support one another as it can be a very tough environment, but also a fantastic opportunity and often neglected mission field. I found myself caught between frustration and apathy – you may sit near a colleague for weeks without finding out more about him personally than his name – but I am realising more how God is patient and enduring, and works out His plans over whole lifetimes, which is so alien to our culture obsessed with instant food and pleasure.

The same is true of building relationships – it’s vital to be prepared to invest time with others, especially in a local church. Whilst I was keen to be involved in mission and evangelism, I began to discover new opportunities to serve, to give and to support others through prayer and finance. It is good to serve in new ways and to get to know others in the church of all ages and backgrounds. Some of my best friends after university have been retired folk!

Finally I would highlight the need to be a person of integrity, to be real and genuine and to seek to please Christ in every area of life. Above all, this involves time to grow and trust in our gracious God whose blessings far outweigh the temporary and ultimately unsatisfying pleasures that this world offers.

Chris Bolton is a member of Shrewsbury Evangelical Church.

Shock to the system

University life was an experience that I will never forget – amongst all the hard studying and fun with friends, it will be a time most remembered for when my Christian faith grew tremendously. They say that university can either make or break your walk with Christ, and mine was greatly strengthened particularly because of the work of the Christian Union. I was able to attend meetings which ran every week, received good teaching and made many Christian friends. Each week we had a hall group Bible study – in the first year I attended and was encouraged then in the second year I became part of the leading team. The CU was not only interested in helping Christians to grow, but also in evangelism, running mission weeks which encouraged me to speak to people about my faith in Christ. I was also pointed to Belmont Chapel (about 600 members), a good, solid church.  I was immediately welcomed, found the teaching really helpful and given opportunities to serve. Belmont’s student programme was excellent. I did regular one-to-one Bible studies with an older Christian, which I am extremely grateful for. I really felt that God was keeping me from the pull of the world and as I look back, I can see this even more so.

After Exeter, being back in the tiny village of Clydach, Swansea, was quite a shock to the system, to say the least. I had grown spiritually so much and had been surrounded by so many Christian students that when I found myself as the only youngster at my home church it wasn’t easy.  I was a bit like a fish out of water, and I needed to adjust to how God’s people were worshipping and serving Him. I wanted to get stuck in to the life in the church so I became a church member which enabled me to be more involved. The prayer meeting was also something I began to attend, giving me an opportunity to get to know the needs of people in the church and the privilege of praying for them.

I then went travelling, to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand which was an invaluable experience, but very difficult spiritually because I was surrounded by non-Christians and even though I had my Bible, it was very difficult without fellowship with God’s people. Despite this, God kept me and as soon as I got home, He helped me to settle back in to life at church. He provided me with a job, a Christian fiancé and a great church family, who are continuing to encourage me in the word of God. Looking back, during and post uni, the one recurring theme is that God provides, even when you don’t realise it. The truth is, whether you’re in a big church, or a small village church, it’s important to get involved in serving our God and He will provide your every need.

Elizabeth Chambers is a member of Bethel Evangelical Church in Clydach, Swansea.

Coming home

Having spent four years away from home at Aberystwyth university, including a year abroad in Bordeaux, I can say that university life has been a rewarding, if challenging, experience.  Spending your university years away from home is a beneficial experience in all sorts of ways, not just for getting a degree.  Living in halls, getting on and living with different people and balancing your new-found social life with your workload, all provided me with lots of different and testing experiences, especially as a Christian.

Whilst not a particularly rebellious young person, it was good and enjoyable to have pretty much full independence during this time. At university you are a different person – no one knows you as Mr X’s son or daughter: there’s just you.

So coming home again, especially after completing a degree, when there’s nothing to go back to in September, can be a bit of a come-down.  You’re reliant on your parents again for transport and, sometimes, money.  It can sometimes feel that you don’t quite fit in anymore, either because you’ve changed and not much at home has, or because lots of new people have come into church and you no longer know everyone.

Although it can feel difficult and perhaps a little disappointing to come home again after the university experience, it is good at this stage to look back and see what you have learnt and gained.  I have found it helpful to look at my time away as a time of preparation, learning and encouragement.  It changed me for the better, and I have realised I need to get the right perspective on things.  What is life about?  It’s not what I can get but what I can give.

Rhys Curnow is a member of St Mellons Baptist Church, Cardiff.