Messiah College Top Questions

Since I have been at messiah, I have discovered many different opinions on situations that I never thought of before. I have made many great friends that have already proven to be there for me in hard times. I feel as though I have gotten valuble life experience from school, including learning how to live with a roomate ,since I haven't had a roomate since I roomed with my sister at the age of 5. Attending Messiah has been valuble to attend because it is "expanding my horizons" one can say, into fields of study I may have never considered before. I have found that being at school has created more of a sense of becoming more independant and learning how to handle issues on my own. I did not realize how heavily I relied on my parents until I came to school and they suddenly couldn't help me with a problem as easily, though they were willing to try. Overall I am glad that I chose to come to Messiah because it is constantly challenging me.

I have learned that there is not one way to look at anything. Everything has multiple approaches. We can learn better if we open our minds and allow ourselves to realize there are other view points out there. It has been valuable to attend here because it has taught me to respect other people, to live in community with many different people that I might not have met otherwise, and it has taught me how to relate my calling with my future vocation. On top of all that I have made friends that will stay with me through my lifetime, including professors.

My college experience has helped me to be comfortable being myself. Through the relationships that I have made and the experiences that I have had I have been given the opportunity to flourish in my own skin. In high school I would have been characterized as a wall flower. In middle school I recieved votes for being the most shy in the year book survey. In college I was placed in a new environment where I was able to start fresh. As time went on I made friends that allowed me to joke, to laugh, and to enjoy myself instead of worrying what other people are thinking of me. In a cross cultural course I was able to live with two different Amish families for a week each. From this experience I realized that I can make friends that span cultural gaps. I also realized that there are endless possibilities for my life. Some of these are not expected. As I continue my journey through college I am growing, learning (about my major and myself), and enjoying the few short years that I am a college student.

Not only has Messiah provided me with an excellent education, but it has also demonstrated life lessons. Since Messiah is a Christian College, I have learned to incorporate my religion, my love of Christ, and my duties as a Christian into my daily activities. Simply 'going to church' is a more important part of my life now, but faith has also flooded into every aspect of my life, such as extra-curricular activities, the classroom, and friendships. So far at college, I have discovered how insecure in my faith I am, but that if I ever want to grow in that security, that Messiah is filled with the exact right people to help me do so. On a bigger level, I have become more self-aware, in how I view others, how I am viewed by others, and how I treat others. Messiah, and college life in general, has made me a more independent person, while completely trusting that I have people to lean on to help me through when needed. But, because Messiah is a Christian campus with few distractions and temptations of secular campuses, I have grown , and am growing, into a mature person who makes smart decisions.

College has been the most amazing and interesting part of my life to date. I've learned what I've come to learn in my area of interest, psychology and so much more in other areas I'd never considered before college. I was given the resources to learn more than the professors had time to teach and the opportunity to find friends who thought like me and very differently than me. In some ways, college taught me about myself and how to find out who I want to grow to be. I was able to debate with friends on a myriad of issues and grow intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and socially. I've not only gained knowledge, but wisdom as well. Had I gone straight into the work force, I never would have grown this much in all these ways or been able to accumulate the knowledge in the field of psychology that I did. I would never have been able to reach my dreams and help youth with mental disorders.

What makes a college experience valuable? The answer lies beyond academics. At Messiah College, student life is not just about learning. It's about relationships. From the very first week of school, we are encouraged to come together as a community, extending grace to one another. This gracious love is experienced all over campus. In classes, our professors are eager to help us grow academically as well as spiritually. The classrooms at Messiah are safe settings where students can voice their opinions without fear of judgment. Professors take the time outside of class to help us with our studies or just talk. With a heart to serve, many students on campus take advantage of the abundant opportunities to volunteer in the surrounding community or study abroad. Together we learn how much of a difference we can make in the world. Messiah has fueled my passion for learning and serving. I?ve been able to call Messiah my home for a year now, and in that year, Messiah has transformed me. Messiah has taught me to live my life to the fullest, and that is why I plan to stay at Messiah for as long as I can.

The opportunties and people from my college years outweigh any other advantage I've had from my education experience. As a college student, I was introduced to quite a diverse spectrum of individuals, of whom I've gleaned knowledge and understanding and have all impacted me in my transformation into adulthood and who I am now. Whether to a major outlook shift or a passing thought, whether I am still in contact with them now or no longer remember their names, there are very few people who haven't made an impression on me. And I hold my college directly responsible. I only would have been able to encounter them due to the open doors that college life presented me. I took classes that I would never had dreamed of while in high school. Professors and other students introduced ideas that forced me to think and consider myself and my stances. I was challenged to particpate in social service activities such as a spring break trip to Toranto to learn about urban homelessness and another time as a Special Olympics volunteer. I lived with a Guatemalan host family and struggled with language barriers. I wouldn't be me without college.

I have gotten an interactive life from my college expirience. Before I attended college I did not go out of my way to talk to people or do many things.Now I know that I want a career in Psychology so that I can be around people, helping them the best way I know how. Being in college has taught me to enjoy life and find a career that makes you happy, otherwise life will not be fun.

My college experience so far has been educational and character/identity building. I have discovered some of my passions, in the field of psychology, criminal justice, people with special needs, singing, being apart of a tight knit community. I have also grown as an individual. I have faced challenges and come out on the other side stronger, more defined, and self aware. I've learned how to live in community with people who are both alike and dislike and learned to embrace diversity. My college experience is valuable in that I have learned how to be a life-long student, learning from every experience. I have developed in my knowledge of several fields and become more confident in my ability to achieve my goals. In order to work towards a goal you have to be passionate about that goal and I have developed both the passion and the know-how to reach it.

Do not worry about making your life-long friends right away. You will end up meeting them eventually, for the some of the students you meet right away may not be around in a few semesters. Work hard, play hard, and love your neighbor, but most of all, love and trust God fully.