Off to Uni – witness by living differently

Seeking to live holy lives distinct from those around us

Arriving at University for the first time is likely to be both exciting and scary! Being away from home and independent is likely to be a new experience. Being at University brings challenges and opportunities and it is good to think before you go (and continue to consider) how to… Read more.

Off to Uni – what if I’m lonely or homesick?

Practical steps to help us as we leave friends and family and start living in an unfamiliar place

Everyone feels lonely sometimes.  However, according to a survey[1] conducted in 2023 of 10,000 students, one in four students felt lonely most or all of the time. That’s four times higher than the average population. It’s not surprising that students might be more vulnerable to loneliness than the average person. … Read more.

Off to Uni – handling gender pronouns

Starting Uni will involve lots of introductions etc – what should we consider when managing gender pronoun questions?

“My name is Charlie and I use he/they pronouns” It is an increasingly common occurrence and expectation that during introductions, in social media bios or in email signatures that people state their preferred pronouns and expect other people to use the pronouns they have specified. One website aimed at schools… Read more.

Off to Uni – “consent workshops” and sexual permissiveness

Young people need to hold on to God’s word when facing ‘consent workshops’ and a culture of sexual permissiveness

There are a number of issues that Christian young people may or may not be surprised to be confronted with when starting university. One of these is compulsory attendance at sessions on the subject of sexual consent. Universities want to provide a safer community for young people in which sexual… Read more.

Off to Uni – staying rooted in the Bible

Trust the Bible in every area of life because it is authored by the God who made us

The Bible teaches us that ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God’ (2 Tim. 3:16).  This means that it is a book unlike any other, because it is how God speaks directly to us.  By studying the Bible, we learn more about God and how He wants us to live. … Read more.

Off to Uni – Find a good church!

Importance of finding a good church in which you can grow and serve

One of the very first things you should do when you start at university is to find a good church. Why? Well, for most people it’s really hard living away from home for the first time.  With the challenges and excitement of Freshers events, new friends, studies, societies and sports… Read more.

Off to Uni – getting ready!!

Preparing for the challenges of university life

You’re going to university! You’ve checked out which halls you’ll be in, bought all that you think you might need (plus a few extras). For many, university is one of the biggest transitions of your life. It’s a huge investment of time and money, so it makes sense to take… Read more.

What if my friend says they’re transgender?

How to respond in love to a friend who thinks they may be trans

In the 2021 census about 1% of 16-24 year olds stated that their gender identity was different to the sex they were registered with at birth (biological sex) and the NHS gender identity development service has seen a massive rise in the number of children being referred with gender dysphoria… Read more.

“Safe Sex”… is it really safe?

STI’s in young people continue to rise despite increased sex education promoting the “Safe Sex” message

It’s likely that you will have been taught about “safe sex” in school and that you may have been given the impression that STIs are something that pretty much everyone gets at some point. In 2017 Public Health England launched a campaign to protect young people from Sexually Transmitted Infections… Read more.

Dating Despair…

Taylor Swift’s latest album reflects modern dating despair

I don’t know if you are a Swiftie or not? Taylor Swift’s latest album – The Tortured Poets Department – has been described by some as capturing the feeling or phenomenon of ‘modern dating despair’. Relationship break up is and always has been a source of great sadness, but the… Read more.

7. Marriage – a personal story

Sam and Rach testify to the blessings of marriage

We’ve been joyfully married for 8 years, and we’d like to share some of the ways we’ve been blessed by our marriage. I (Sam) didn’t get married until I was 30, so there were a fair few years where I lived out of my family home as a single man.… Read more.