We have reached the end of our first year at Duke Divinity School! What a year it has been! We have learned so much about our selves, our faith, our community… and more. Going into finals next week, I want to take some time and reflect and share tidbits of what I have learned and what I might have wished I had known before starting this journey.
- God is good. Trust God. God called you in a pandemic so it’s obvious that God has big plans for you.
- Find community. Even when you’re scared and believe that friendships will ultimately fail. They don’t. Friends are sacred in the here and now and in the future. This will take a while. You will soon have a group you can text and eventually you will have individuals. God is still with you and is present in these burgeoning relationships.
- Go to chapel. Put your computer away and go to chapel. It’s Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:35am. The preachers are phenomenal. The students that preach are prophetic. It will be a rare chance to not be in charge of a worship service so take the opportunity to just sit with God.
- Say yes. Say yes to lunch invites. Say yes to study dates. Say yes to engaging with theologians. Say yes.
- God does not care about your grades but your institutions do so do your best. Your best is not someone else’s best. If you get a 100 and a friend gets a 75, shut your mouth. If you get a 75 and your friend gets a 100, be happy for them. If you do not get a 100, that does not mean you are not 100% loved by God.
- A follow up to the previous point: the grading will seem unfair. Check pluses are elusive. Your spiritual practices will be graded and honestly, that sucks.
- Not everyone will do all the reading. Some will do all the reading. Everyone will do some reading. Find what works for you.
- I was one of the few that did all the reading. How? Get ahead early so you have room to fall behind. Stay 4 to 7 days ahead. Reread what will be talked about in precept so you can talk and get your participation points.
- Duke is just one school. The professors are just one view. You have your own heart and mind to reason through and discern what the Holy Scripture means for you and your context. Some of your professors will say the dumbest shit and you will rage about it with your friends at lunch after chapel.
- Love yourself. This is the hardest thing you have done so far. You are reconstructing your faith and relationship with God in the midst of a pandemic and a racial reckoning. Your denomination is ripping at the seams but God called you anyway. You are capable. You are loved.
Also… never forget you’re a Tar Heel in the midst of Blue Devils.
THE SOUTHERN SEMINARIAN 