Advice to Share with Your College-Bound Teen

How do you prepare your child for life after high school? Ellen Mongan shares a letter to the members of the class of 2025.

Graduation day is behind you. You have received your diploma, moved your tassel, and thrown your cap into the air. Now, a new chapter in your life has begun. You are invited to take your place as an adult and embark on the journey to maturity. Along the way, you will face new challenges, meet new people, and try new things. The formation in virtue and the Catholic faith that your parents instilled in you will go with you. Will you recall them and follow, or will you turn a deaf ear and go your own way?

Get to Know God

You can learn about God, His Word, and Church teachings, but have you taken the time to get to know Jesus, our Savior, for yourself? Take time to pray and search your soul. Ask yourself these questions: Do I know Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection? Do I know my Catholic faith? How can I defend my faith if I don't know it? How will you protect your faith? You will face numerous challenges in the years to come. Be prepared!

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My College Wake-Up Call

Let me share a personal story with you. Once upon a time, I was a high-school graduate like you, filled with excitement and a sense of independence as I embarked on my journey toward maturity. I thought I had it all figured out. But in reality, I soon discovered how naive, sheltered, and unprepared I was. College became my wake-up call, exposing me to the ways of the world. Had I not walked with Jesus,  I might have fallen. Thankfully, the nuns had instilled in me the importance of avoiding the near occasion of sin. I knew that by putting myself in the face of temptation, I could fall. At this college, I discovered that drugs, drinking, and sex were rampant. I was appalled.

When faced with such a situation, it's essential to seek guidance from trusted individuals. Without hesitation, I approached the college president. I explained the problem with innocence and sincerity in my voice. I asked him, “Do you know that drugs, drinking, and sex are running rampant on this college campus?” He did not say a word, nor did he look shocked. He insisted on giving back all my money without question. This experience taught me the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.

Thinking it was just a poor choice of an institution, I applied again to a college in another state. I decided that this time, I was aware of the “giants in the land” and was prepared to face them unafraid. I was wrong. In the second college, I had a roommate who said to me, “My boyfriend is going to be spending the night with me so we can have sex!” Then she abruptly added, “You can stay if you want to!” An exclamation point is not enough punctuation to explain how shocked I was. I left my room to find a place to bunk for the rest of the semester. After prayer and careful consideration, I also left that college.

God Sent Me in a New Direction

I was an honor student whose life changed quickly. I look back on those days and thank the Lord Jesus for giving me the virtue of fortitude and the grace to stand up for what I believe. Where would I be without Jesus? God carved a different path for my life.

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

God has blessed my life as a Catholic author, speaker, and writer, enabling me to share with others the goodness of the Lord.

Will defending your faith cost you anything? It cost Jesus everything. It cost Mary everything. It cost Peter everything. It cost Paul everything. It will cost you everything, too, but God will bless you beyond your imagination in His kingdom. Do not be afraid to stand and defend your faith even if you seem to stand alone. In faith, know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit will stand with you. Mary and the saints will be interceding for you. There are many graces given to those who stand. Do not be afraid to surrender your heart and life to Jesus.

The Choice Is Yours

Now it is your turn to choose. Whether you choose college or a trade, will you make an informed decision? Jesus wants to author your story as you journey to maturity if you let Him. God has set before you life and death; choose life! The Word of God is like an open-book test, where the answers are highlighted, saying, “Choose life, choose life!” Can you hear Him?

This is what the Lord says:

But rather, let those who boast, boast of this, that in their prudence they know me, Know that I, the Lord, act with fidelity, justice, and integrity on earth. How I take delight in these—oracle of the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23)

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