Summer is often seen as a pause between chapters, but for students preparing to leave for college, it can actually be one of the most important spiritual turning points of their lives. It’s the season before independence begins, before dorm life reshapes routines, and before faith either gets strengthened or slowly pushed aside.

Isabella’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s at stake.

She describes her early faith life simply, but honestly: “I grew up Catholic, and like many cradle Catholics, I fell away from my faith during my teen years.” Like many students, her connection to the Church didn’t disappear all at once; it faded gradually during high school, where she explains, “I would just go to Mass on Easter and Christmas, and my family overall grew apart from the Catholic Church.” COVID deepened that distance, becoming a turning point where church life slowly stopped being a regular rhythm: “Covid was a big factor in our distancing away from the church,” and afterward, she remembers, “there was always something more important we had to attend to than Mass.”

By the time she left for college, the foundation of consistent faith practice was already fragile.

When she moved into dorm life, that lack of grounding became even more apparent. She reflects, “When I went to college, I left home and lived in a dorm,” and with that independence came new pressures and temptations. She shares honestly, “During the first years of college, I was tempted greatly and fell into many of those temptations.” Even when she felt internal resistance, she often dismissed it: “I felt convicted many times but shook it off, saying it was no big deal.”

Over time, something deeper began to shift — not just behavior, but identity. She explains that when people questioned her choices, “I started to question it myself,” and eventually, “I felt like I no longer had a good reason not to do those things.” College life had not only pulled her away from practice but had begun to shake her sense of conviction.

The turning point came in her third year of college, during a relationship in which faith became a central topic of conversation again. She recalls, “I was in a relationship, and the conversation of God started to come up, and I knew I was Catholic.” But when pressed on what she believed, she found herself unable to articulate it: “I was questioned a lot about my faith, and I felt I had no answers.” Yet, even in that confusion, something remained steady:

“I felt like I didn’t know what I believed in, but I still felt that it was the truth. The Catholic Church was the truth.”

That tension (uncertainty paired with belief) became the beginning of the return. She began to rebuild intentionally: “I dove into my faith and started to build my relationship with God.” That growth also led to hard decisions, including ending her relationship because of a conviction about the future: “I ended my relationship because I knew I wanted to raise my children Catholic and he did not want that.”

But even as her personal faith deepened, something was missing. She describes a longing that many college students quietly experience:

“I desire so deeply to find a community, a mentor, someone I could talk to about my faith.”

At the same time, practical barriers made it difficult to connect: “I was still at my dorm but had no car or way to go to Mass.”

College life also reached a breaking point. A dorm situation escalated beyond control: “Earlier that year, I had thrown a party in my dorm room along with my roommate. It got out of hand, and the police were called.” As a Resident Assistant, the consequences were even more serious: “The police got called often to stop these parties; however, I was working as a resident assistant,” and ultimately, “management called us out that were at the party and told us we were fired and had to move out.”

That moment forced a difficult transition. She remembers, “I was so worried and felt very disappointed in myself,” and explains how hard it was to share with her family: “It was extremely difficult to tell my parents that they would not let me re-sign my lease for my last year.” She returned home for a season of reset and reflection.

It was there, in an unexpected quiet moment, that something shifted again. While cleaning her room, she rediscovered remnants of her earlier faith life: “I found prayer cards and a spiritual book which I had forgotten I had.” That moment reframed her entire story:

“God had always been with me through my childhood, and I had forgotten it.”

Eventually, she re-entered campus life in a new way and found what she had been missing all along — a community rooted in faith. She shares, “In the fall, I joined the FIU Catholic group, and I have grown in faith and knowledge of the Lord exponentially,” and reflects,

“God answered my prayer for a stronger relationship with Him and for a community which I am now involved in.”

Today, Isabella’s story continues forward. She recently graduated and is now working in a Catholic high school, where she hopes to give back what she received: “I hope to strengthen the faith of students while learning more and strengthening my own faith.”

Her journey highlights something essential for every student preparing for college this summer: faith is not something to rebuild after the struggle —it is something to anchor in before the transition begins.

That is why early connection to campus ministry matters so deeply. Organizations like Newman Connection exist to ensure students don’t arrive on campus spiritually alone, but already connected to a faith community waiting for them.

Because summer is not just preparation for college life — it’s preparation for faith life in college.

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