43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Real-Life Teenager's Review, October 19, 2000
This review is from: How to Stay Christian in College: An Interactive Guide to Keeping the Faith (Paperback)
As a high school senior who is approaching college quickly, I thought this book was appealing and engrossing. I have read several works about living for God and preparing for college, but never one as well written as J. Budziszewski's book. Budziszewski did not follow the normal cliches that most authors use and he did not talk down to the reader. Unlike other books on this subject, the author was specific. When he spoke about debating professors with respect, he did not leave the reader wondering how to accomplish this feat. He gave example dialogues for several points. This proved to be very helpful for me. One of the best aspects of the book was that it was surprisingly Biblically sound. Yes, it sounds odd, but I have read "living for God" books that were fairly stuffed with feel-good philosophy. The author challenged the reader to live for Christ completely, not just to fit God into your college schedule next to your water aerobics class. Precise and original, How to Stay Christian in College reinforced moral principles while giving practical advice from an author who actually remembered what it was like to be a vulnerable young adult. I believe this book is a great resource for current and prospective college students. Many of the same principles of "holding your own without being a jerk" are beneficial for teenagers in high school as well. The phrase WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?) seems to be slightly overused these days. The wording of the phrase makes it sound as if it depends on what the speaker thinks Jesus would do, not what the Bible said He would do in a situation. Budziszewski ended his book with an alternative catchphrase which does not rely on human opinion. In fact, the phrase is so exceptional, I am going to finish my review with it. Simple and powerful, "Follow Christ."
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32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to read but not "dumbed down", September 18, 2000
This review is from: How to Stay Christian in College: An Interactive Guide to Keeping the Faith (Paperback)
Let's face it. Most Christian young people are not adequately prepared in a spiritual sense to head off to a secular college upon graduation from high school. I teach at a Christian high school myself, and I know that we have our hands full preparing our students for the philosophies and beliefs of the secular world. How often I have had former students come back and tell me that they were glad they were given material to help reinforce their Christian faith. Having flipped through How to Stay Christian in College, I am recommending it to my high school seniors. More than a dozen just ordered it. This book will complement the information provided to them in a junior level apologetics course. "Bud" is a U of Texas professor who tackles some tough issues without getting too deep. For those who need more information on any of the topics he discusses--from relativism to politics--there are other excellent references listed in his footnotes, most of which I have personally read and would also highly recommend. I think this book would make an excellent graduation present by a concerned parent or relative who wants to be sure "junior" will retain his faith into the college years and beyond. Of course, "junior" will need to learn what it means to own his own faith (rather than borrowing mom and dad's), and this book would be an excellent primer to have on the bookshelf next to the Bible.
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential for any up-and-coming college goer, December 9, 2003
This review is from: How to Stay Christian in College: An Interactive Guide to Keeping the Faith (Paperback)
First off, a note on how to pronounce this guy's last name, which is so helpfully provided at the end of the book: It's Boojee-shefski. There, got that? Took ME long enough!
This book is an essential, and not only for Christians or homeschoolers, but anyone about to enter college. Seeing as how I'm a high school senior now, I found this book excellent prep for what I know I'm getting ready to go through.
In a short 140 pages, J. Budziszewski provides in-depth analysis and information for what to expect in college, and how to deal with it. He discusses how to hang tight to what you know is right, even when close friends, roommates, and peer groups don't. He offers insight on how to cope with non-Christian friends, and counteracts common campus myths, most of them the kind a Christian freshman might not know how to deal with.
He shoots down myths and smokescreens that often render Christians a little lost as to how to respond, even when they know there IS an answer) and brilliantly refutes such myths as moral relativism, atheism, etc.
He offers advice on how to deal with relationships, both friendship and the Deeper Kind, in a chapter that most students will flip right to: Myths about Love and Sex. He offers refreshing encouragement that you CAN stick to your morals and remain chaste in college, and that it's not only obeying God, but rewarding in its own right!
Budziszewsky also hits (briefly) on political issues, something that few can avoid in today's campus life.
Finally, he sums it all up by discussing WHY all this is important, and highlights the fact that you should fit college into God's plan, not God into college plans. He leaves us with a reminder that we are given a purpose in life, a unique meaning of serving the Lord, and how everything around us factors into Eternity, whether we realize it or no.
In case you haven't figured out already, I think this book is brilliant, masterful, and a comprehensive must-have for any up-and-coming collegian. Parents, your sons and daughters are missing out if you don't get this for them. Students, if you can spare the money, this book is guaranteed to give new meaning and purpose into your collegian existence.
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