HOUSE PARTY

Shaun and Jenn got to interview Josh Wilson recently...that reminded Jenn of how GREAT of a guitarist and musician he is! Check out this video to catch a glimpse of how crazy-talented this guy is:

I love sci-fi / post-apocalyptic movies, and For King and Country did an awesome music video to their awesome song that looks like it is straight out of a movie:




What a great visual reminder of the power of showing others the love of Christ!

It's quite possibly two of the coolest Christian artists out there... and they have combined for an awesome song:

The iPhone 5 is the newest, shiniest thing you can get.  So when Jimmy Kimmel told people they were holding the new iPhone, people couldn't stop glowing about how great it was.  Check out the video here:



Unfortunately for them, it was an iPhone 4s they were looking at...  nothing different than what they had in their hands already!

It seems like we are so excited to get the newest and greatest thing that we want things just to want them.

So, if you don't want to use your upgrade for an iPhone 5, good for you!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go stand in line at the nearest apple store to get the new iPhone.  I hear it is faster and thinner!

(This is part 10 in a 11 part series of things that Andy learned in college - sometimes the hard way - so hopefully you don't have to)

One of the last great mysteries in the world is those people that you will be thrown together with when you are in college.  The good news is, for the most part, you will love your roommates.  But know this:  There will be one that DRIVES YOU NUTS.

Even if you know all of your roommates before hand, you probably have never lived with them.  And they will be either too clean or too messy, too loud or too anti-social, their food will smell (or their clothes), they will mooch too much off of you, they will never go to sleep when you want to go to sleep, and they will generally do everything that you can't stand.

God will teach you patience if you are willing to learn in these situations, and there's not much advice I can give other than don't let your heart become hard towards them.  I let that slip in with one of my roommates and it wasn't a good thing.  Even when he was being nice, I would resent him because of my heart towards him.

Also, make sure that you are not the "Bad" roommate.  Remember, your mom isn't around, so all those things she used to do for you are now in the realm of your responsibility.  Make sure to wash the dishes, make your bed, and pick up after yourself and you'll be better than 75% of the roommates you will live with in college.

(This is part 9 in a 11 part series of things that Andy learned in college - sometimes the hard way - so hopefully you don't have to)

We've already covered why it's not that important to shower before you go to your classes in the morning (that is, if you would miss class instead, hygiene is more important), because here is one fundamental truth throughout your college years:  Everyone Looks Frumpy.

As a matter of fact, there are people that will spend very good money to look as frumpy as possible.  Paying extra for jeans that have more holes than swiss cheese, torn shirts, cut off sweatshirts etc etc.

A lot of it goes into the fact that college students don't have a lot of money in the first place, so for a lot of people there's no choice but to rock the thrift store finds. 

There are some that do have money, but don't want to look like they do, so they will pay to look frumpy as well. 

So, don't worry about spending a lot on your clothes, don't worry about getting all primped and primed for a 7 AM class, and don't be embarrassed about your junky car, because the only place that is more casual/frumpy than college is Wal-Mart. 

(This is part 8 in a 11 part series of things that Andy learned in college - sometimes the hard way - so hopefully you don't have to)

As we have discussed previously, sleep is a precious commodity during your college career.  So, what will probably happen to you when you first start out in school, is you will miss church on the first sunday.  Then the next week, you won't find one that will fit you.  Then the next week, you miss the shuttle to the church you think you might like but aren't really sure.

Just like other times in life, we fool ourselves so often by saying "I'll follow God later"   We think that somehow, once we become less busy (we won't) or have less problems (we won't) or settle down and have a family (you might, but that only gives you less time and more problems), then we will finally crack open the ol' bible and give God the time He deserves.

It won't ever happen by accident, just like your homework won't happen by accident, your car won't fix itself by accident, or your smelly clothes won't clean themselves by accident.

It's something you have to do on purpose, with intention.  And there's no better time to start now!  Because you will never be in a better place to start having a relationship with Jesus then where you are RIGHT NOW!

(This is part 6 in a 11 part series of things that Andy learned in college - sometimes the hard way - so hopefully you don't have to)

Most of our series so far has been about other parts of the College "experience" - but let's not forget, you're there to do some book-learnin' !

When you are selecting classes, you will probably try to pick a schedule where no classes start before 1 pm.  Problem is, those classes usually fill up the fastest, and it never fails that THE ONE CLASS YOU HAVE TO TAKE IS ONLY OFFERED AT 6:40 AM AAAGGGHHH.

Here's the deal,  no matter how late your first class is, it will still be TOO EARLY.  You can squeeze the most sleep out of the night by following "Andy's Guide To Surviving College #1 " , but don't put off that early class, because you'll have to do it sometime, and you might as well do it now.  You definitely won't want to do it any more at a later time.

(This is part 5 in a 11 part series of things that Andy learned in college - sometimes the hard way - so hopefully you don't have to)

Before I share the story that happened to me that inspired this post, please remember I was a 1) Freshman and 2) I am a guy.  Really, most idiotic things can be explained with those two qualifiers.

One of the things I loved about college right away is having 3 great meals a day.   I never had to cook!  And that was a good thing, because at that point I really didn't know how to do much.  But if you are like me and have a full meal plan to the Cafeteria, please remember this important thing:

There will be at least one point where you are very hungry, and the cafeteria won't be open, and you will have no choice but to raid your emergency supplies.

For me, it was at 3 AM.  I woke up in a sweat and it felt like my stomach was attacking me.  I stumbled into our mini-kitchen and opened up my section of the pantry.  Here's what I found:

*Picture not to scale

Hobo Bear

She didn't have a meal plan

The important moral of this story?  EVEN if you have a full "meal plan" in college, make sure to have a meal plan WHEN (you know it will happen) you are hungry and can't go to the cafeteria!

(This is part 4 in a 11 part series of things that Andy learned in college - sometimes the hard way - so hopefully you don't have to)

In College, the classroom is not the only place that you are learning things. For a lot of people, this is the first time away from family, and the first time having to deal with personal finances. We will cover the ever-important college job in a later post, but how to spend the small amount of money you have?

I can't tell you exactly how to spend your money, but I can warn you about one thing that will drain your bank account more than anything. The social "Walmart" run. Someone will walk by your dorm room and ask if you want to do a Walmart run for supplies. It's ok to go, but if you don't need anything, I would suggest NOT EVEN BRINGING MONEY. Because, if you are there and EVERYBODY is buying things, of course you will find something that you all of a sudden HAVE to get.

For example, I was on a run with my friends to Walmart, and I didn't need anything, but I saw this one item like a beacon of light, something that I was almost blinded by its brilliance. It was this:


Even now, years after seeing it in the store, I am still drawn to it. (I mean, look at it!  HE'S ON THE CART, WITH A BANANA, AND I CAN USE IT TO TALK TO PEOPLE!) So I put it in my cart, and as I was walking around with my friends some more, I realized that it was the perfect example of buying completely useless things in college. I mean, we had a phone in our dorm, but nobody used it! Why was I even drawn to it? Because I thought that other people (especially the people I was with) would think it was AWESOME!

So you have two choices:

1) Don't go on the "social Wal-mart runs"
2) Go on the "social Wal-mart runs" but don't bring your wallet.

or I guess you could go in having a list of essentials that you need to pick up, but you're only kidding yourself that you won't come out with a mario kart phone, or whatever that example of ridiculous spending would be in your case.