The Needs of College Students

Written by Art Herron

Every person in your church brings a variety of emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. Your college students also have a variety of needs that are specific to this season in their lives. Here is a list of life needs for students that can help guide your collegiate ministry.

Students are seeking a place to belong.
Many come from dysfunctional families. They seek a stable environment and people to love them.
Students today experience and/or are aware of abuse. They are looking for people who do not take advantage of them physically or sexually.
Collegians live with repressed emotions. They are seeking a support group that understands their emotions and accepts them for who they are and who they want to become.
They are seeking a sexual identity. Students see more severe consequences of morality. With sexually transmitted diseases on the rise, students are seeking ways to remain sexually pure.
Students today demonstrate a lack of commitment - yet they are willing to join most anything that will address the needs in their lives. They have no brand loyalty, including the church.
Students today want personal contact. They want to know the people they go to class/church with. They want to know if these people can be friends.
Students experience more stress and have a need to learn how to relax and enjoy more of life. Is there more to life than a college dorm on Saturday night?
They seek traditional lives in nontraditional ways. They may postpone marriage and children until they establish their careers. Being well-off financially is more important than developing a meaningful faith.
Students have a hunger for spiritual truth. They need to internalize their faith. Yet many are giving less energy to developing their own spiritual lives.
Collegians are highly skeptical but generally respond to people who are authentic with them.
Students have limited time, therefore they make choices more carefully about what they do and don't do. If a program begins to weaken, your program may not be meeting his needs.
Students endeavor to discover their strengths and weaknesses, to see who they are and how they relate to and affect their world. They have a need to discover their own identity - who they are.
Students need to understand the importance of Christian fellowship.
Students are creating a new family every day.

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