We all have a worldview—a “mental map” of reality, a set of assumptions or beliefs.*

Your parents have one. Your friends have one. I have one. And you have one.

Your mental map informs your expectations about high school, college, friends, guys, girls, church, sports, weekends, and everything else. It informs you of what to expect not just of others but of yourself.

What, then, informs this all-informing mental map?

Whatever you let shape your mind and heart—your parents, your values, your pastors, friends, what you listen to on your iPod, who you follow on Twitter, your movies, shows, magazines, and all the rest.

What does your mental map say you are as a young adult? Are you “just” a teenager or early twenties adolescent who, because you’re still trying to figure out who you are, isn’t capable of doing much?

Rather than setting high goals and working toward them, do you need to simply experience whatever your heart fancies at the moment in order to ensure you aren’t suppressing healthy self-expression or somehow missing out?

Or are you a young adult, capable of delaying gratification and working steadily for meaningful, significant goals, with talent, strength, and vigor on loan from God?

Do you see yourself in a season of diligent preparation for becoming the kind of man or woman who can embrace greater responsibilities down the road (job, marriage, family, ministry), even as you do good and bring God glory now?

Broadly speaking, those are the two visions competing for your heart as a young man or woman in the twenty-first century.

According to one perspective, school is about just getting by, keeping your parents happy so you can enjoy your time between the drudgery of classes.

According to the other perspective, college is about glorifying God with every aspect of your week, loving him with all your mind, and training hard for the good works that he has prepared for you (Ephesians 2:10), while developing relationships that will reinforce your convictions and propel you in a God-ward direction.

And while there might be some intentional downtime, there’s no “your time.”

You are someone who takes care of the time, gifts, and talents that God has entrusted to you.

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You’ve been reading from Thriving at College: Make Great Friends, Keep Your Faith, and Get Ready for the Real World! by Alex Chediak. Learn more about the book HERE