1. The Pathway Center: Guiding You from College to Calling

The Pathway Center helps 91łÔąĎ students prepare for life after college through career development and leadership exploration. You can get help writing a resume, preparing for interviews, or finding internships that fit your goals. This is especially beneficial for first-generation students navigating post-college plans. Staff helps you think beyond a job title and towards what God’s actually calling you to do. 

Whether you’re preparing for a big interview, or planning next steps after graduation, the Pathway Center is here to walk with you. Meetings are available in person or online. Just visit the Pathway Center to get started.

2. Academic Advisors who Care and Resources that Work

Every Cairn student, whether studying in person or online, is paired with an academic advisor who provides personalized support throughout their college journey. Advisors will meet with you to register for courses and give thoughtful academic advice, keeping you on track until graduation. First-generation college students benefit greatly from this type of tailored guidance. They’re not just here to sign your forms. They’re mentors. 

In addition to academic advising, our Academic Resource Center (ARC) is equipped with support for students of all skill levels. The ARC resources include a writing lab, tutoring, mentoring, disability services, and special “how-to” workshops. First-generation college students like you bring strength and determination to their studies. At Cairn, you’ll have the right resources to turn that determination into success.

3. First Generation College Student Scholarship

Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but you »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t have to figure it out alone. Ninety-seven percent of our undergraduate full-time students receive some form of financial assistance. Our Financial Aid team can help you explore grants, scholarships, and loans so you can focus less on the cost, and more on the calling God has placed before you. Plus, first-generation college students can apply for a $500 scholarship to help with things like books, equipment, or other first-semester essentials. If you’d like to apply for the First-Generation College Student Scholarship, notify your 91łÔąĎ admissions counselor and they can assist you.

4. The Center for Christian Counseling & Relationship Development

College can bring challenges that go beyond coursework. The Center for Christian Counseling & Relationship Development (CCCRD) offers Christ-centered care for your emotional and spiritual well-being.

It’s a safe and caring space where you can talk through stress, relationships, or personal growth. The staff includes licensed psychologists, therapists, and master’s-level interns trained in both biblical and human sciences. The CCCRD is an essential resource for students seeking emotional support. Learn more about CCCRD resources here.Ěý

5. Community that feels like Family

The most valuable part of college isn’t found simply in what you learn, but who you walk through it with. At 91łÔąĎ, professors, staff, and students share life together. Faculty pray with each other weekly. Resident Directors and Resident Assistants check in, encourage, and challenge you to grow. Between attending chapels, eating meals with friends, joining a club, or being a student athlete, you will surely experience a culture of connection, rooted in something bigger. 

Because college shouldn’t be just a place you get a degree, it should be a place for real transformation and growth. Being a first-generation college student isn’t always easy but it’s an accomplishment to be proud of! We pray at 91łÔąĎ you will find a community that is ready to help you on your journey.

One of the biggest fears and obstacles commuters face is building community. While campus events, athletic events, and clubs and organizations are advertised as opportunities for all, it’s can be hard to feel truly welcome—especially if you have to put yourself out there and show up without a personal invitation.

While finding community might be a little harder for commuters, it is readily available to you if you want it. These are our best tips for building relationships as a commuter.

Just Show Up!

This is the easiest but also the hardest part. If you’re only on campus for just enough time to attend class, it is much more difficult to connect with other students. Give people a chance to recognize you. Don’t overschedule yourself so that you always have to rush out the door after class. Do your homework in the library. Buy a coffee from The Highlands and drink it there (bonus points if you sit next to someone you recognize and start a conversation!).

You should also give yourself the chance to take advantage of the events colleges put on. For building friendships and community, these events are a college commuter essential. They are a space to make friends, find new interests, and just have a fun break in the midst of a long week of studying. At Cairn, we regularly put on events big and small. If you want to ease yourself into a quiet atmosphere, make a fancy soda at a paint n’ sip. If you are looking to blend in with a crowd at first, consider mingling at the hoedown. These events are open to all, and they are worth staying on campus for.

Get Connected on The Right Platforms

Engaging with campus life and community means plugging in. A great way to stay informed, see some faces, and get an idea of the campus culture is to follow the university on social media and other university-based platforms. These are not ends to community in themselves, but they provide regular reminders of what’s happening on campus and invite you to experience real, in-person community.

Join a Club

Student clubs and organizations give you the opportunity to spend time with other students who have similar interests. 91łÔąĎ has over 20 clubs and organizations to choose from, in addition to DIII athletics, intramural sports, and music ensembles.

Eat in the Cafeteria

Just in case you have any hesitation, know you are welcome in the cafeteria without a meal plan. Bring your packed lunch or pay the commuter rate for a one-time meal. Sharing a meal with your fellow students is 10x better than a sad car lunch!

Contribute Your Local Knowledge

This isn’t a college town—it’s your town. You know which grocery store offers the cheapest produce, which train will take you into the city, where to catch the best sunset view, and what coffee shop has the best place to study. Resident students will figure these things out eventually, but you can use this information as an invitation: Invite a friend to join you off-campus at one of your favorite spots.

Commit to Being a Part of Community

This is the hard truth: You have to work to be included. While a resident student can retreat to their dorm room and is bound to later connect with a roommate or other students at dinner in the cafeteria, no one is going to show up in your childhood bedroom and ask you if you want to go outside and throw a frisbee.

While it does take intentionality to build community outside of the classroom, it is effort that you will not regret putting out. Commuter or resident, college friendships are some of the best relationships you’ll have the chance to make in your lifetime. Don’t miss your opportunity!

With online, hybrid, and in-person classes, learning can be structured in a number of ways. In-person classes are generally synchronous, while online classes are often asynchronous. Hybrid courses combine elements of both.
Synchronous Learning
Synchronous classes occur when students and instructors gather together in real-time. Think “in sync.” This can mean in-person instruction on campus, but it also can mean designated online meeting times. Basically, if the class is expected to be together regularly and at a certain time for instruction, it’s synchronous learning.
Example: Professor expects the class to be in-person or to tune in on Zoom Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 am.
Asynchronous Learning
Asynchronous classes are done more at your own pace. Instructors will link to pre-recorded lectures or videos for students to watch when it works for them. Think “not in sync.” This does NOT mean there are no deadlines or that you can get the work done whenever you want. Asynchronous classes still usually require that students get a certain amount of work done at a certain time; however, students can do the learning or view the instruction anytime and anywhere up to that date.
Example: Professor expects students to complete video assignments and respond in a forum by Friday at 5 pm.
Hybrid Learning
Some classes might utilize a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning: this would be considered a hybrid course. Say your class includes five in-person meetings throughout the semester that you are expected to attend. Between these meetings, professors might require asynchronous videos and/or assignments to be done at a specific deadline. Hybrid courses are utilizing the benefits of both synchronous and asynchronous learning; engaging, in-the-moment class times with the flexibility of working on assignments at your own pace.
Example: Professor expects students to meet every other Friday at 9 am and for students to watch a video and respond to a forum by the following Wednesday at 5 pm.
Throughout your higher education experience, you’ll likely encounter each of these types of classes. 91łÔąĎ offers synchronous learning for undergraduate programs on campus and asynchronous learning for those studying through Cairn Online. If you’re wondering which learning style works best for you, send us an email to begin the conversation about starting or completing your journey at 91łÔąĎ.

1. Plan ahead

Before your season starts, keep track of all your games, practices and other team commitments. Whether this means writing down the dates in a planner or typing it up on a calendar on your phone, take some time before the season begins to map out the semester and set early deadlines for yourself. This includes setting dates to study for exams (instead of trying to cram the night before) and notifying professors when you’ll be gone at the beginning of the semester.

2.ĚýChoose non-conflicting class times

Most teams have games and practice in the afternoon. If that’s the case for you, try to schedule morning classes so there’ll be minimal conflict. While most college students would opt to take afternoon classes so they can sleep in, student-athletes need to be a little more intentional about how they schedule their classes. If you’re not sure when your practices will be, talk to your coach before you register for classes and choose classes that »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t conflict with practice times.
Remember, you’ll also be traveling for games, so keep in mind that you may have to leave several hours before the game to get to your destination. While you may be unable to avoid missing some class time, make it as infrequent as possible by choosing an academic schedule that accommodates your athletic life.

3. Schedule homework time

Your schedule is packed. A luxury that you »ĺ´Ç˛Ô’t have as a student-athlete is getting things done “whenever you feel like it.” Figure out when you have free time, and choose one of those times to be your designated homework time. This can be the two-hour block of free time you have after your morning classes and before afternoon practice or the several hours you have before you go to bed. Know when that time is and commit it to getting school work done.

4. Say no

It’s important to choose wisely how you spend the rest of your time, especially when you’re in season. Avoid overcommitting to too many other activities. This doesn’t mean you can’t be involved in other clubs or groups, but it’s better to do a few things well than to spread yourself too thin.
College is a whirlwind of contact activity. Take some time to rest and recuperate so that you have enough energy for the important things, such as giving it your all during practices and games, spending valuable time with friends and family, and spending enough time on homework assignments and studying for exams.

5. Ask for help from teammates

If you play sports, you already know that your teammates are like family. You can keep each other accountable by doing things together, such as setting aside time to do homework, eating healthy, and working out.
You can also see what works for your teammate, especially the upperclassmen who’ve been student-athletes for a couple of years. Something that works for them might work for you too. There might even be times when the team can get together for study sessions or quiz each other on the bus on the way to games.
Being a part of a team is one of the best experiences you will have during your college years and with the right plan in place, you can thrive on the field and in the classroom!
For more articles on managing your time, check out our other articles: