Praying for your first-year college student

The beginning of a new school year brings a wide range of emotions, especially for college freshmen and their families. Of course, there is excitement for all the new experiences and opportunities of college, but there may also be nervousness, homesickness, and other difficulties while adjusting to a different environment. 

As a parent, you may be figuring out how to stay connected with your student across a long distance, navigating a new season of life with an empty nest, or worrying about how your student will fare academically, socially, or spiritually. 

No matter how you and your student are feeling as you face this first semester, you have the invaluable resource of getting to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Prayer is an amazing opportunity to lay every fear, praise, disappointment, gratitude, and request in His hands. 

Bless your student as they begin the college years by spending some dedicated time in prayer. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 

• Pray for their spiritual growth. 

The college years are a time of new independence that may spark deeper questions about long-held beliefs and values. These questions can either cause shifts in a student’s worldview, or they can be an opportunity for a strengthened faith. Take some time to pray that your student would grow in both their knowledge and love of God while at college and that they would take any questions to wise counselors, whether that be a pastor, godly friend, or straight to God’s Word. Pray that they would have opportunities to serve and share their faith with others. Pray for a deeper understanding of the Bible and its pertinence in their life. 

• Pray for their friendships. 

Friendships are a big deal while in college. After all, these are the people who your student will be studying with, living with, and making memories with for four years. Pray that your student would make good friends who encourage and love them. Pray that these friendships would bless your student in their faith. Pray that your student would be able to find a sense of community on their campus. Pray that your student would be able to work through any conflicts that arise in a way that honors God. 

• Pray for their mental health. 

Being at college can be lots of fun, but it can also be quite stressful at times. Academic pressure, homesickness, and fatigue can wear down a student’s mental health. Take some time to pray over your student that they would be filled with God’s peace each day. Pray for protection from anxiety and that they would trust God with every detail of their lives. Pray for rest and that they would approach their academics in a way that is healthy and balanced. Lastly, pray that they would go to God with any struggles they may face. 

• Pray for their academics. 

No, this doesn’t necessarily mean praying that your student gets all A’s each semester. Instead, focus on praying for your student’s approach to their academics. Pray that they would work hard and pursue their studies with diligence and integrity. Pray that they would learn well and that they would be able to use their new knowledge to better serve God. Pray that they would be prepared for whatever future role God has for them, no matter which major or career path they have chosen. 

• Pray for their wisdom.

One of the most daunting parts of being college-aged is the countless questions of what comes next. Your student is facing dozens of big decisions in the near future, from which job they should take to where they should live to whether (and whom) they should marry. That is why praying for wisdom is crucial. Pray that God would guide your student as they make decisions. Pray that your student would seek to honor Him and follow His leading with their life. Pray that they would have peace as they follow Him. Pray for your own wisdom as well, so that you too can be prepared to offer godly counsel when they come to you with questions. 

These are only a few areas to consider when praying for your college student. The most important thing to remember is that God cares for you and your student. Remember Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Your family can have an unshakeable peace even during the often-tumultuous time of beginning college through giving everything in prayer to God. 

Audra Bergevin is an intern in the Office of Marketing and Communication at Charleston Southern University. She is a senior majoring in English with a writing emphasis and minoring in Christian Worldview and Apologetics.

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