Who lives on a Secular Campus?

[aReformedPatriot]

So I printed out my application to the University of Louisville (nursing school). I really don't want to live there though because I have deep concerns at the level of perversity and overall rudeness due to noise. I was wondering if someone could tell me what it's like to live on a secular campus. I really just want a quiet life wherein I can study and have a good time if I want.

I'm not abandoning my call to the ministry, but I am abandoning my Bible College that is constantly putting me into debt (did I mention UPS pays for all of UofL tuition and 8K of student loans for me?). I'll go to seminary anyways cause I am one of those ph.d wannabes.

[FallingWaters]

My daughter is on a secular campus at a state university. What I have learned is that every campus is different. Some schools have a reputation of being a "party school". Some are more serious minded. Even on the campus where she's at, she's in a building where there are noise curfews and a zero alcohol and drug tolerance policy.

I'll get back to you with a website where students rate their college.

[FallingWaters]

Students Review (http://www.studentsreview.com/)

22 people submitted reviews of Uof L. Apparently, it's not a party school, but it seems to lack the personal feel of a smaller school. One person called it a "commuter school".

When you to the site, up at the top, there's a place where you can search for a particular school. Once you click on KY, it'll bring up a list of the schools, and you click on U of L. From there you can navigate around. Make sure you click on the link box called "comments".

Also don't forget that people who have a bone to pick are a lot more likely to post reviews than people who just have nice things to say, so take it with a grain of salt.

[FallingWaters]

There's another place to read reviews about U of L

http://www0.epinions.com/educ-Colleges_and_Universities-All-University_of_Louisville

[Sword-In-Hand]

You won't find peace and quiet at U of L. Louisville, as you probably know by now, has a "big city" mentality. Aka, people there think they live in New York. Lots of gangs, inner city rivals, stuff like that and that transcends to the college. I wouldn't recommend UL, but then again, I don't know many colleges I would recommend.

I've had friends who've enjoyed the dorm life and those who've hated it. It seems the party people love it, but those who go for an education, abhor it.

[Taylor43]

I attended a secular college got my Nurses Aide The Campus was a hour from home so i travlled back and forth. Yes it got tiring but it kept me from allot of things. All i can say is you can meet up with good room mates sometime you meet up with the exact opposit. If your room mate keeos you from the focus and does very bad thing do go to the dean maybe you or your roommate can move. I know it is hard because in college i was ask every friday to go to the bar and trust me its not easy but i find Jesus understands. All i say if your a long way from home keep seeking a room mate that suits your needs. If your close to home use it unless you have bad time with Parent. Its hard allot of wrong main thing just know you are stronger then the ones that do silly thing. Keep focused on your studies and i hope you get in with the right room mate
Love
Taylor

[arunma]

So I printed out my application to the University of Louisville (nursing school). I really don't want to live there though because I have deep concerns at the level of perversity and overall rudeness due to noise. I was wondering if someone could tell me what it's like to live on a secular campus. I really just want a quiet life wherein I can study and have a good time if I want.

I'm not abandoning my call to the ministry, but I am abandoning my Bible College that is constantly putting me into debt (did I mention UPS pays for all of UofL tuition and 8K of student loans for me?). I'll go to seminary anyways cause I am one of those ph.d wannabes.

Hey Mark. As you know, I live on a secular campus. It has its ups and downs, but it's not all that bad. My first two years I lived in the dorms, and I found that even on the same campus, different living arrangements make all the difference. My first year in Freshman housing, there was no short supply of people partying and playing video games at odd hours of the night. My second year I lived in the same building, but in a new wing intended for Sophomores on up. It was much quieter there, and I had no problems studying (of course, my floor had the strange peculiarity that almost half of the residents happened to be Christians, so that was an unexpected blessing). Now I live in an on campus apartment, and it's very quiet. In fact, sometimes it's too quiet.

I think the rule of thumb on a secular campus is that the crowd you run with makes all the difference. Many of my friends are Christians, and my unbelieving friends are "well-behaved," so I am by no means in the middle of debauchery. In fact, I've even figured out how to go to the bar, have a drink, and come home without running into a single drunken person (the trick is to go on Tuesday or Wednesday night). It's not too hard to be a Christian on my secular campus. Nor is it difficult to stay focused on academics.

Of course I mentioned that secular campuses have their downs. One of them is that you get groups such as "Campus Atheists" running around, hosting anti-Christian speeches and promoting a secular agenda. But as long as you're not sensitive to that sort of thing, it really isn't a problem.

[Sweet Pea]

You might post your question in the College Forum here. :)

[JPPT1974]

Never lived on campus either Christian
Or secular but I know that you just
Need to have a good level set head
And avoid stuff like drinking and drugs
Just bad stuff!

[aReformedPatriot]

Never lived on campus either Christian
Or secular but I know that you just
Need to have a good level set head
And avoid stuff like drinking and drugs
Just bad stuff!

But.... drinking and drugs are quite possibly the only things I'm lookin forward to on a secular campus, especially the former. ;) I'm kidding about the drugs of course, but I am looking forward to becomming somewhat of an amatuer connoisseur of fine beverages. I've been prohibited from my hopeful hobby for the last year and a half because of seminary.

[Argent]

At your age it's possible that you can get an exemption from the "on campus" housing requirement. Most schools automatically exempt those 23 and older.

If you've never lived in a dorm, I think at 22 you might find dorm life uncomfortable, but a lot of that depends on whether you have a roommate or not, and whether you get along witht that roommate. If you are going to live in a dorm and have a roommate, I hope you were very frank in the housing questionaire about your habits and lifestyle. Most schools really try to match roommates who have simmilar habits, i.e. early risers, etc. It think it would be hard to live with a non-Christian roommate and strongly caution you about that. Of course, you can't choose who's going to live on the other side of the wall you sleep next to, but most floors have a residents' meeting the first day or two, and establish "quiet hours" for the floor that say when the music and such has to be turned down. They might establish different quiet hours for the weekend though.

Often, off-campus housing can be cheaper than living in a dorm if you don't mind the walk to campus. Usually the dorm and cafeteria meal plan is more expensive than if you got a place off-campus and cooked your own food. I don't know what the housing market is like in L'ville. I am also a firm believer that the best living situation for a Christian single young man is in an apartment or house share with one or two other Christian guys.

I went to a very liberal school where one of the dorms was known as Sodom and another as Gommorah, if that gives you any idea of what it was like. Most students were Christian by heritage, but not Christian by faith. Those who were serving the Lord were a handfull out of about 1100 students.

But, it's like being out in the "real world". You have to take care of yourself spiritually whether you're in a totally Christian environment or the devil's den.

Best of luck and God bless.

[DawnTillery]

I dont live on a secular campus, but I attend Western Michigan University and it is a very secular school. I have had teachers TRY to tell me the bible says different then what it says said a lot of the OT stories are just stories made up for kids and we cant take the bible literaly. YIKES!!! I stood firm in my belief.
I did not argue, but I WISH I would of went to a nonsecular school.

[arunma]

But.... drinking and drugs are quite possibly the only things I'm lookin forward to on a secular campus, especially the former. ;) I'm kidding about the drugs of course, but I am looking forward to becomming somewhat of an amatuer connoisseur of fine beverages. I've been prohibited from my hopeful hobby for the last year and a half because of seminary.

Well Mark, if you ever do switch campuses, send a PM my way. I am a student in the appreciation of various beers, so I can point you in the right direction.