This holiday season is going to be different for our high school and middle school students but college as well. Many of them are coming home for Thanksgiving and not returning until the next semester begins. College students will be hanging around your community for more than a few weeks; while they will still have final papers and exams to complete, you will see them around the holidays than you have in past years.
During Advent and the Christmas season, don’t forget about the college students hanging around. While you might be limited to what you can do, there is still the opportunity to remind them that they have a church home. Before you get into the thick of the holiday festivities:
REACH OUT AND INVITE THEM BACK
If you have emails, phone numbers, or physical mailing addresses, use them to invite college students back for the holidays. Let them know what your parish is going to be doing from Thanksgiving and into the new year. If you have events (virtual or in-person), make sure they know how to get involved. If you need help with planning the Christmas liturgies, invite them to get involved. Please don’t wait for them to get back into town, reach out now and let them know how excited you are for them to return.
CULTIVATE NEW COMMUNITY
When college students come home, they will still have finals and papers to complete; however, they will also need a reprise from all the work. Whether you can meet in-person, or virtually invite them to connect, plot out four to six weeks to connect in a small group format. It can be as simple as compiling a few videos that are topical or faith-driven. You could introduce them to a longer program like Alpha or Search. Use this season to build momentum for a community that can go beyond the new year.
By establishing something now, you can strengthen that connection to their church home as they go back to school. It’ll remind them that they are not alone nor forgotten by the Church, who was a part of their earlier years.
GET TO KNOW THEIR EXPERIENCE
If it’s too overwhelming to mobilize a community of college students, try to reach out to a few of them for one on one conversations. Listen to their experience and ask them what they learned, what was difficult, and what was rewarding. The more you get to know their stories, the easier it will be to serve them in the future. It will also be an opportunity to establish mentoring and apprenticeship relationships that can continue into the new year.
Do not let this opportunity pass you by because it is unique and may never repeat itself. If it means taking a step back from your usual youth ministry traditions, that’s okay. One way we can continue to grow disciples who will flourish in their faith is to show them the Church is still relevant in their lives.
How are you connecting with college students this holiday season?