Five Tips for Academic Success
The UD team thought it would be awesome to help you start the school year on the right foot. Here are our 5 tips for academic success.
The UD team thought it would be awesome to help you start the school year on the right foot. Here are our 5 tips for academic success.
Community
During the school year, things can get so busy that we forget that people matter just as much, especially for a believer! Hebrews 10:24-25 says “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” While school is important, pursuing the right community is equal if not more! Find people that will encourage you, lift you up, and keep you focused this year!
- Deb, American Studies & Education Major
Plan
There are so many things that constantly need to get done once the semester starts, and waiting until the last minute can lead to a disaster. One way to stay organized with all your tasks is to plan ahead for them! God advises us to be prepared and intentional in all our ways. The bible says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only into poverty” (Proverbs 21:5). Keep a planner and give yourself small deadlines of how you will complete your tasks before they are due. This can help remove any unnecessary amount of stress school can give you. Don’t put it off until tomorrow!
-Toyin, Journalism & English Major
Study
No need to say much. You are in college pursuing a degree, not a significant other. Studying is the major key to succeeding in college. Everyone has a different style of studying. Some study with a partner or group, others in silence or some study at night. Figure out yours set aside scheduled time and be diligent with it. As you study, make sure you study in time blocks and take frequent mental breaks. Your brain needs rest.
-Olamide, Health Education Major
Health
During the semester, you’re usually so engulfed in getting assignments in, checking the syllabus, finding the PDF version of a book and keeping your sanity that you forget to really take care of yourself. No not treating yourself, but taking care of your physical body, your health. In many regards, the bible tells us that our bodies are a temple and temples need maintenance. So as a student, make sure you are getting at least 7 hours of sleep and eating at least 3 times a day. It may be hard but it is not impossible and it is worth it. It translates well as far as your focus and helps to prevent you from HAVING to use things like coffee etc. Time management will help you a lot in this endeavor, Kudos!
-Gabe, Graphic Communication Major
Personal Devotion/Quiet Time
While the majority of your time is being consumed by projects, labs, studying, internships, organization duties, work, and other student-life strains,the one thing that may require the least amount of “concentrated” time, yet yields the greatest benefit, is often neglected; quiet time, fellowship with the Lord, or whatever it is you call it, absolutely cannot take a backseat in this season of school for you. It’s literally the only fraction of your life that’ll hold you and everything else together. You can excel in all facets of this semester, year, and your life by keeping God first. This might not even require you to spend 30 to an hour in your bible or in prayer, but simply acknowledging Him through every phase of your day—before and during classes, study sessions, tests, working, etc—and making sure to utilize those five to ten minutes before your next class to see and hear what He’s saying can take you a long way. “One day in Your presence is like a thousand mold into one.” (Psalm 84:10 TJV)
-Jummy, Journalism & English Major
Class of 2016 Testimony: Victoria A.
Victorian Ajayi
Morgan State University
B.S Business Administration & Hospitality Management
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.
”
Leaving Morgan has been a journey worth testifying and giving God glory for. The many people I started with unfortunately did not finish with me. For that, I am internally grateful. God surely supplied all my needs; He never left me nor forsook me and He was faithful until the END!!!!
My Supplier
God blessed me with more grants and scholarships than I was deserving of. How he worked these wonders I will never know. With a nurse for a mother, many people assumed I had money and that wasn’t always the case. I vowed to my mom that paying for my education was on me. From that moment on, I worked hard and in no time refund checks were my close friends. Not to mention, landing a job with the director of financial aid!!! Man won’t He do it.
My Deliverer
November 6,2011 was the day I gave my life to Jesus Christ. Before coming to the Lord, my outlook on how my college experiences were to play out was nothing compared to the life I found in Christ. I came in with a very self-centered, broken and lost mindset. Glory be to God who says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). My identity was found, chains were broken, my heart healed and I received my freedom by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. I celebrated each birthday in college as a child of God. My 21st was more than I could have dreamed and the whispers of Jeremiah 29:11 only foretold that the best was yet to come.
My GOOD, GOOD Father
What can I really say now that I graduated???
“Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.”
Know that God is in total control. I didn’t graduate in my anticipated year due to my spirit lead major change; however, I found that in that extra year, God revealed Himself to me in more ways than ever before. I found favor from unexpected places with a job from Marriott International, traveling to different states as a student ambassador for my school’s program and more. Most importantly along the way, God blessed me with family and lifelong friends to aid my steps. When you put your all in HIM, all will be taken care of. Getting to this point took blood, sweat and tears, but through it all my eyes were on Him. And today I can confidently say:
It Is Well………
Class of 2016 Testimony: Sola A.
Ṣọlá
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Visual Arts (Graphic Design)
Department: Visual Arts
Wow, where do I begin? College has been an interesting journey for me, to say the least. But I can testify that, during my pilgrimage, God has continuously proved His faithfulness to me. Let’s backtrack a bit…
In the 10th grade of high school, after witnessing a great transformation go on in my cousin’s life, I decided that I wanted to skip a grade in order to attend a one-year internship and experience this amazing transformation firsthand. By the end of the following school year, I graduated, and six months later, I was in the middle of nowhere in East Texas, encountering God through life-changing events on a daily basis. That one year impacted my life in an indescribable way, so much so, that when the time came to transition into college, I had no desire to do so.
So coming back home to start school was like pulling teeth, let alone starting in “community” college. I didn’t quite have a community to plug into. All my friends from high school had either become wayward friends or gone off to college in various locations. I had no one, and as a result, I lost a grip on the goals and standards I had set for myself while in Texas. I can reflect on countless times in which my grades didn’t look too hot. Other times I’d miss an exam and have an empathetic professor who would allow me to make it up. I lost focus, in school and on God in general. So many situations happened in my life and in my schooling that could have had dreadful consequences. But even in the midst of becoming faithless, God remained faithful.
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself”
Fast forward a little further, community found me! Through a friend, God placed me in a community. A place where I could grow and be encouraged by like-minded brothers, sisters, and leaders. I realized my errors and began to really seek God about where He wanted me to be, what He wanted me to do, and what major I should pursue. He began to remind me of the gifts He granted me and as I continued to commit school to Him, I learned that I would use my creative talents to glorify Him perpetually.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”
After 2.5 years in community college, I finished strong, graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Graphic Design. I prepared to move on to University, which was another challenge in itself. Chai, school got hard! You would think that art would be easy and effortless, right? Yeah, no, not at all. Even moreso, so many other things weighed in on my education; so much pressure. It’s as if life began to pick up and throw its curve balls directly at me.
My first semester was hard, but it only became more difficult from there. Once again, I was placed in situations where I literally had to rely on God’s strength and not my own. From praying through assignments to crying through others. From being scared to check my grades or lose a scholarship, though I gave my all. Dealing with the stress of only having 2 years to graduate when I felt as though I may have needed more time, having challenges with my health and going in and out of the hospital while trying to stay on track with assignments, struggling with my grandmother’s unexpected passing, juggling multiple internships, fellowship, school, and jobs, having seriously petty professors (it’s art *rolls eyes*)... man the weight was heavy. But wow, I can’t even find the exact words to describe how faithful and merciful God has been.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
I have l i t e r a l l y seen the mighty hand of God move in my life. He has seen me through sleepless nights, weeks, months. He blessed me with classmates that supported me through school. He’s been merciful, granting me multiple grade changes and excused assessments. He’s supplied me with friends and family to be strong for me and pray for me, consistently present by my bedside when I was weak. He’s granted me unique opportunities to develop and advance as a designer. He’s caused my professors to sacrifice their time to see me prosper and even vouch for me… And I am only mentioning the least.
When I was down, He encouraged me. When I doubted, He restored my confidence and faith. When I felt defeated, He reminded me that I am victorious through Him. And now I can declare that I am a graduate! I made it through those 2 years and it was only possible with God! So for that, I am beyond grateful and excited to continue my creative journey. I am ready to dream a new dream with Him!
““Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness” ”
UD Turns Three
Not everyone is aware, but Urban Disciple has been up and running for three years now. On January 27th, 2013, I created this blog. I was not sure what it would be used for, but God knew. I ran the blog singlehandedly for two years, but last year I ran the blog with a full blown team. In 2014, through small talk here and there, a team was being formed for Urban Disciple. I shared the vision with some people, and soon they, too, wanted to be apart of what God was doing.
I learned a lot last year, more than I experienced in the first two years of the blog. The same can be said for the rest of the team. As #UDTurns3, we wanted to reflect on the highs and lows of 2015, and glorify the Father in His faithfulness to this blog. Prepare your hearts, it’s about to get real.
Olamide
The last year taught me many things about myself, I can legit write a blog post on it, but some things should remain unknown. You know, I need material for my autobiography *winks*.
My High: The Trials and Tribulations That Came With Working With A Team
“If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together”
-Your African Uncle Visiting You in America
I love my team. With no benefit of a doubt, I am grateful to serve with them. But it took some time for me to say this statement. Most of us just knew each other by name, but weren’t close friends. We were five individuals, who came together because we each saw the vision with a unique way we could contribute to it. Although, we all weren’t closest of friends, we were definitely a strong team. Through them, I learned how to work with others, as well as to trust them with the blog. At the end of the day, this wasn't my blog anymore, but ours. With our different personalities, I learned the culture of honor had to be established amongst us in order for everyone to feel apart of the team and vision. Even to this day, I am still learning ways to communicate to them and ways to honor their ideas and suggestions.
Low: The Lack of Support.
God is faithful to His word and His promises. His words don't return back to Him void, but fulfilled. This blog was fully funded on my 24th birthday by my awesome friends, who believed in the blog and I. I honestly can’t thank them enough. But regardless of that, I learned that ‘friends’ is not synonymous for ‘supporters’. I was so accustomed to people supporting UD back when it was ran by me, I assumed it would continue with the new blog. However, that wasn't the case. I reflected back on the night where I had one guest visit the former blog. Someone from Saudi Arabia, a predominantly Islamic country, who probably didn't know Jesus or had ever been to a church, read MY blog. That fueled me. That’s who I write for and desire “support” from - people who don’t know Jesus. God helped me realize that this blog wasn't for my friends, but the individuals who I will probably never meet, yet I could impact their relationship with Jesus.
Low: The “Illusion of Competition”
*insert cliche quote about a flower blooming and not competing* Blazay blazay blah. I don’t like competition, even though I tend to be an overachiever at times. I don’t think I will go into details with this “low.” But I believed when I came out with the relaunching of the blog, there were other Christians bloggers on the scene as well. Instead of it being mutual support for all parties, it was more so of an environment of competition. It made it hard to run a blog in freedom because every move was cloudy by the thought of imitating the style and ways of another blog. We have one common goal - to proclaim the Kingdom until the glorious return of Jesus Christ. We are on the same team. Can a house divided stand?
Toyin
Working with Olamide and the whole UD team has been a very fun and challenging experience since the very beginning. When I was initially asked to join, I was so nervous and felt inadequate to take on a role of writing on Christian topics in areas I was struggling with myself, never mind being Editor-in-Chief! But still I said yes, and I haven’t looked back since.
High: Working with a Team
Working with a team has helped me find the confidence I needed to put my skills to use and learn more skills that I would not have been able to learn on my own. They are very supportive and encouraging, and if the content of our work does not make sense we will not only let each other know, but we will work collectively to make each article that gets published is clear, concise, and accurate. They continue to inspire and help me grow in my walk with God because I see Him working through them. I am always amazed by the stuff we are learning individually just from reading the articles. We are a family, and I enjoy doing life virtually with them :)
Low: Finding my Niche
When I first started out at UD, I had a hard time understanding my role in the team. I was not sure what an ‘Editor-in-Chief’ was supposed to do or how to act, so I can admit that I was a bit aggressive. Aside from that, I felt like I was not being heard or taken seriously, but most of it was all in my head. All I needed to do was speak up! I would ask the group so often if I should just change the title of my role, but they of course encouraged me to keep it. As time went on we all became comfortable with each other and sharing our ideas, and we fell into our roles soon enough.
Deborah
I love my team. Jume Bug is my favorite. Toy Toy is always random, but hilarious and stern. Gabe is bae of life. Lamz is actually annoying great. I don’t know how God made her, but He’s lit for doing so. I always wanted to have a blog and share my life foreal, because we all have powerful testimonies and I knew that if nothing else, God would receive the glory for all that He’s done in my life. So to be apart of a very lit lit litttttt group of people who desire the same thing? I couldn’t ask for any better.
High: Sharing stories
I think my biggest triumph was being able to share stories about struggles and really offer advice. Hebrews 10 talks about never failing to meet up and fellowship with one another, and I felt like Urban Disciple kind of acted as that. It can be very easy to feel isolated from the Christian community as if we aren’t all thinking, living, or experiencing the same thing. So I think just having a place where we can talk about the awkwardness of being intentional, dealing with sexual sin, and struggling with our walks is what God calls us to. We need to know we are not alone, that there is hope, and that there is comfort in God through people. There is a power in our stories and I just want to share them with people so they know they are not alone.
Low: NOT Being Able to Share Stories..and Life Happening & Finding My Worth
So, my life just decided to change in 2015. I graduated, got a new job, and moved back home….things got real. Because things got real, I wasn’t able to write as much and share as much with people. Writing is my outlet, I have endless journals and I’m super pressed for the perfect ones to write my thoughts and prayers to God. It’s my love language so not being able to do it as much and sharing my thoughts and heart with people really sucks. So I don’t like real life….my team even clowned me for being on sabbatical longer than God was after Malachi (shoutout to Olamide)...but I wanna get back, and I hope to soon. I miss y’all.
My other low was feeling was the feeling of unworthiness and comparison. God has gifted all of us on the team with different skills to reach different people, but when you don’t receive feedback or comments on what a great blog you wrote and someone else does, it was like my articles weren’t as impacting. But that’s exactly how the devil works. He wants to discourage and divide the body of Christ, and as Olamide mentioned earlier, there is no competition in the Kingdom. Toyin could be an ear, Gabe a leg, Jummy a foot, Lamz, a hand, and I the eyes. We all serve different roles in the body and thus, we serve different roles on this team. We won’t look the same OR impact the same people. All I need to be concerned about is ensuring my heart is to glorify and honor God.
Jummy
These four right here need me (1 Corinthians 12:21). And I need them. It’s been an interesting year, nevertheless, with this Urban Disciple body. Since I internally determined to become a writer, I knew having a blog, whether a sports blog or a lifestyle blog, was something I had to incept in my everyday living. Just being able to share what God did for me, to me, and through me, while He inspired and wrote with me, became one of the greatest feelings I could ever have, and I knew I had to have, and do more. I knew this was to be a part of my life forever. Personally, this has been the hardest group I’ve had to work with because they never take my crap. It’s almost as if they beat me with rods to get what they wanted out of me. But it works….and I’m mad grateful for that.
High
We thank God, that through all that I’ve endured... I’m not dead. I kid, but I think the high for me, as cliche as it may be, is that we’ve been, and continue to be, bound together in love. I’ve come to learn that there are very few things more beautiful than unison, unity, and cohesiveness--oneness within the body--within one body. And I believe that’s where we’ve come to. Throughout everything: from the weeks were our producing was outstanding and we were dropping posts almost daily, to those dry, dry, dry times where nothing seemed to be produced---God still grew us as a family, and He’ll continue to grow us in Jesus name. Take note, this is one of those moments where I’m not being complicatedly deep...I think. :).
Low
“They keep bullying me...where’s my lawyer?” Jesus is my refuge, shield and buckler. I think the low for me last year, in more forms than one, was insecurity. I don’t know how it happened, I don’t know why it happened, but my heart became very tender and overly apt to absorbing pain. I foolishly took everything to heart. I was prideful, bitter, and indifferent at various moments in the year towards the UD team and myself. But I realized, thanks to Debbie being led by God, that I did a lot of self-condemning. I was very quick to scoff at myself for my shortcomings, not meeting a bar, or just not getting something done, that I wouldn’t tolerate advice, rebuke, and even encouragement from the team. I think this is where I say, ‘I’m my biggest critic.’ It’s true, I take everything I do personally and passionately. I think that understanding that aspect of myself and revealing it to the team, has helped us grow in understanding and patience. These guys have been ever so patient with me, and I love them for that. #UDtheBest #HashtagsArentMyThing #ImeanMyFirstBlogPostWasALongHashtag #WhyDidTheyLetMePostThatThingWithThatTitle
Gabriel
Oh man this team, there are so many things that I can say really. We are cohesive, but it’s a strange cohesive like double sided tape. Its annoying sometimes, but when you get to use it, it is clutch and can patch up many things. Everyone one on this team is valuable to me, including Jummy, whom I both love and don’t like. He can probably tell you why. He’s still great though. I know we have the potential for something big here.
Low: Having Heavy Hitters
Our team is full of people who do many things in life, so when it comes to doing things for Urban Disciple, we’re not able to bring our full energy to the table a lot of times. It just really stinks because we have great folks here, but we’re not as dedicated as we can be and it is because we are kind of spread thin. Not only do we do a lot, but we probably have 2 to 3 things to do for Urban Disciple. I pray that God adds more people to use so that our energies can be more direct and focused.
High: Diversely Like Minded
We all kind of think the same way, but we don’t. It is really cool actually like we have a variety of thoughts and ideas and they work because we are able to compliment each other well. It makes bringing ideas to the table much easier because you can trust that someone will assist and add to what you have to bring to the table.
Despite the highs and lows we all may have experienced collectively or individually, God is definitely doing something at UD. We can't wait to see what this year has in store for us. Stay tuned!
Lastly, Some Advice for the Fellas
I’m not old, but the Lord has made me some kind of wise. Wisdom didn’t magically fall into my head either, it came through experiences—some hard and some extensive, but I have used the ability to learn from mistakes and experiences to extract whatever I can. Through doing life with people, I have seen that there are a couple of important lessons to know as a man. Some things that have helped me and I believe will also help you.
Always Communicate
This may be one of the most important things in this article that you will read: communication is so important. Not only with your significant other but also with those around you. People define a man by his word at times, but our issue as men is that we don’t let out our words, so there is nothing to identify us by. But when you communicate things like your feelings, thoughts, and etc., you now allow people to either understand you or help them identify you, which makes people comfortable.
A lot of time we, as men, do not communicate what we feel and because of it, we don’t get our needs met. Needs like wanting to be loved, or wanting to be wanted, or even wanting help or assistance. It’s often believed that men expressing themselves is weak and only women are to really express how they feel, but it takes strength to express yourself. Only those who are confident can really do it. A great man communicates; That communication makes him great because it shows strength in being able to share who he is with those around him and the world.
Have Accountability
Here is something you may have heard, “you can’t do life alone.” Well it’s true; think about not only cutting off communication but then having no one close to you? No one to make you better, no one to be able to watch, encourage and help you? That’s the purpose that accountability holds. Everybody usually struggles with something; imagine how easy it gets when you allow someone in enough to hold you accountable. Everyone needs accountability, people to help you stay in bounds and check in on you and your progresses. I saw a quote that said,
“God is more concerned with our character than our comfort.”
Let’s say you deal with…oh let’s say…watching pornography as a believer and you have kept it a secret from all your close friends. Speaking as a male, sharing your struggle with a close brother can help you. Sin does better in the darkness, speaking figuratively and literally. The enemy doesn’t want to see you share your burden, he wants you to keep it to yourself. That way you are less likely to receive help because let’s be honest, most people don’t try to help with a problem they cannot see. A problem is usually solved when it is first recognized. You have to help those who hold you accountable recognize and see that you have issues in order for them to help. Choose your accountability carefully though, there are supposed to correct and lift you up, not condemn you.
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2
Sharing your burden with someone who can keep you accountable, will keep you on your toes because that person is now cognizant of your struggle so they can help you. Remember, iron sharpens iron.
Manage
This is a very simple but powerful word. Management is very important for a man. Men were created to bring order. Think about Adam in the Garden of Eden and how God tasked him with naming the animals and taking care of the garden, in that he was building structure. There was a point in time where Moses had to have all of the Israelites in his care and the burden of watching over those people was too great for him. The bible tells us that his father-in-law, Jethro, taught him that he should appoint leaders under him so that he could better “manage” the people put in his care by the Lord. Upon him doing this, he faced less stress. Work smart, not hard.
Managing your life means being intentional with scheduling to eliminate idleness or even disorderliness. It also means clear communication with folks and never committing too big. What happens a lot is we as men sometimes have this “superhero” complex where we believe that we will make every single thing better if we involve ourselves but how effective are you when you are helping everything and being spread thin? Exactly. You’re most effective when you are in order and how do you gain order? With management.
Love Unconditionally, No Matter What
The last but the most important piece of advice that I can share is this, love unconditionally. Whether Christian or not, it will help you immensely in life. If you ever read the gospels in the bible, make sure you pay attention to how Jesus handles every situation with others that he encounters. He usually lacks hate and usually has a way of either improving or just plain handling a situation because of his love towards individuals. Love is meaning that you see the best in everyone you encounter. Mistakes are made, flaws are realized but the heart of a person is their best quality.
You know the saying “Real recognize real”? Well let’s say heart recognizes heart in a way that you can use yours to help bring out the best in someone. You can literally make someone better by loving them. Sometimes it’s hard because love is not always mushy words and feeling but sometimes its correction or sometimes it's denying a person of something so that they can see better. In any sense, whenever approaching someone or whenever a situation arises handle the situation with the mindset of looking out for the best of not only yourself but others. That’s love, you have to give.
Hopefully some of these words have added to you as a man or woman, I pray that the Lord helps you become better all around. Selah.