Bailey is a Junior at Crown College. College students are notoriously busy, over-caffeinated, and perpetually studying for exams, and Bailey is no exception. Between classes, coffee shop stops, a flourishing social life, and work, Bailey’s schedule is jam-packed.
All the while, she’s diving deeper into her faith life. Because Bailey attends a Christian college, her experience at Crown will be laced with spiritual growth and personal development she couldn’t get anywhere else. Here’s a glimpse into her week:
Monday: Chapel
Getting out of bed at 7 AM is no easy task, especially on a Monday, but Bailey has an 8 o’clock class.
Thankfully, she has a Keurig in her dorm.
With a travel mug full of caffeine, Bailey leaves her dorm with enough time to stop by the cafeteria and grab some breakfast. (Her go-to is the self-serve waffle station with butter and jam. Not a bad way to start a Monday!)
By 10 AM, her coffee supply runs out. She has just enough time to swing by the coffee shop for a refill before chapel starts. The baristas at Crown can make a mocha that’ll keep her going the rest of the day.
At the athletic center, Bailey meets her friends for chapel. Crown’s chapel program requires students to attain a certain amount of chapel credits, depending on whether or not they are full-time students. Chapel credits can be earned by attending chapel or select events on campus, like Faith and Film nights.
After checking in, Bailey and her friends find their usual spot on the gym bleachers. The worship team has just started their first song, and all the worries in Bailey’s day instantly fade away.
Worshiping with the rest of the student body makes Bailey feel right at home – whatever differences she has with the rest of her peers, they all love Jesus.
After a time of prayer, a guest speaker shares a teaching from the Bible, which inspires Bailey. She loves it when the guest speakers say something that challenges her thinking; it gives her something to talk about with her friends throughout the day.
Throughout the semester, there are all kinds of chapels to attend; senior testimonies, praise and worship, communion, and special holiday chapels like Christmas and Easter.
After chapel, it’s back to class (after stopping by the coffee shop one more time, of course). As a business administration major, Bailey is practically swimming in business homework — and loving it.
Tuesday: Classes in a Christian Environment
On Tuesday, Bailey’s first class is Spiritual and Leadership Development, a course all about growing deeper in your faith. This class is a common requirement for students, among several other Christian studies courses.
Bailey thinks Spiritual and Leadership Development is great for everyone wanting a solid foundation in their Christian walk. Every class period includes thoughtful conversations and the homework encourages rigorous personal reflection. One of the strongest elements of the class is the group projects. Unlike your typical nightmarish biology group project, these activities emphasize fellowship and discipleship with friends who are committed to growing together. Bailey’s group meets once a week in the library for prayer, accountability, and … goofing off quite a bit. There is nothing more transformative than friends who encourage us in faith.
Having a class in a Christian environment is important to Bailey. For her, it establishes good habits and encourages vulnerability with trusted friends; another reminder that she isn’t alone in the chaos of life.
Not only does Bailey have Christian peers to rely on, but she also visits her professors’ office whenever she has a question about Jesus or the Bible. She even signed up for the mentor program and was introduced to a faculty member who’s there whenever she needs a safe place to talk. She’s even been invited for dinner more than few times!
After a nice long break, Bailey has a night class: International Business. One of the aspects of this class is to understand the impact of business from a biblical perspective. The professor teaches the class how to use practical tools for conducting business on a global scale — everything Bailey needs to be fully equipped for life after graduation!
Of course, it is late at night and while Bailey loves the class, she needs a caffeine boost to get through the night, so she usually stops by the coffee shop — again.
Wednesday: Life Together Groups
Wednesday morning would be a difficult time to wake up after Tuesday’s night class if it weren’t for Life Together Groups. Every Wednesday, people all over campus get together in small groups for a time of discussion and teaching. Each Life Together Group (or LT Group) is led by staff, faculty member, or students for the purpose of, well, doing life together!
The small groups go through a topical discussion every week. LT Group themes can be anything from studying women in the Bible, to hearing missionary testimonies, to discussing mental health. Although some LT Groups continue for multiple semesters, new ones are introduced every semester, so there’s always some variety.
Currently, Bailey goes to an LT Group called “Intellectual Discussions from a Christian Perspective” because she loves engaging with interesting topics and hearing new ideas. The group usually reads an article or chooses an academic topic, then converses about it prayerfully, using Scripture as a guide.
Throughout the week, Bailey references the LT Group conversation in class discussions, during her solitary devotionals, and during meetings with her mentor.
Bailey experiences deeper friendships with the people in the group and has the chance to learn more about academic topics and how to think critically about all aspects of life.
If there wasn’t enough to love about LT Groups already, every so often there are free donuts, which go great with Bailey’s morning coffee!
Thursday: Work Life
One great thing about Crown is the variety of work-study jobs available. Work-study is a great way to make some money while keeping your education front and center. It can also provide lots of applicable work experience to bolster your resume!
Bailey started working at the Campus Store her Sophomore year, and slowly took on more responsibilities. Now she’s the assistant manager, which means she spends much of her time organizing work schedules, managing orders and shipping, and collaborating with staff members to make big decisions about how the store operates. She’ll definitely be qualified for management jobs after graduation.
Bailey does most of her work on Thursdays. She has morning, midday, and afternoon shifts, with frequent visits to the coffee shop in-between to keep her mind sharp and alert.
One of the best parts of Bailey’s job is working with her peers and supervisors. During staff meetings and in casual conversation, the Campus Store team is always looking to spur each other on. The workers are committed to keeping Christ at the center of their work. One way they practice this is by praying before each staff meeting.
Students at Crown are called to serve in every aspect of their lives, including the workplace. Bailey has discovered her passion for servant leadership at the Campus Store, and hopes to translate that passion to future jobs.
Friday: Christian Friendship
Diving into the weekend, Bailey spends the afternoon with her closest friends.
They go thrift store shopping, eat out at the local Dairy Queen, or enjoy an on-campus event by our Student Activities Board, like an outdoor movie night or the Crown College Escape Room.
Bailey is a fan of being surrounded by friends who can support her, have fun, and talk deep on a daily basis. At Crown, she has a community of people who genuinely care for her wellbeing. She is known.
The Weekend: Wrapping Up
Saturday: a time to sleep in and catch up on homework after a busy week.
Bailey wakes up to the smell of coffee. Her roommates are already up and quietly working on homework.
Sometimes Bailey will go to coffee with her sister off-campus at Mocha Monkey.
On Sunday, Bailey goes to a nearby church called the River. She loves going to a place to connect with the community outside of Crown, especially a place that’s safe to ask real questions.
Every Sunday night, a special, student-led worship chapel helps Bailey and her friends reflect on the long week. It’s an hour to focus on the work God is doing in their lives.
After a small group prayer meeting following the chapel service, Bailey goes to bed, ready to start the week again.
There are about fifteen weeks in a typical semester, so Bailey knows just how chaotic college can be at times. But by being in a Christian environment, she will never have to feel alone. She has a community to help her focus on Jesus only, and that’s all that matters.
Who is Crown College?
For over 100 years, Crown College has been preparing students for lives of outstanding service and leadership. Located just west of Minneapolis, Minnesota, we offer traditional on-campus degree programs, 18 NCAA Division III athletic teams, internship opportunities, and summer outreach programs around the globe. We have been a leader in online education for over 20 years, with nationally recognized bachelor and master’s degree programs that can be completed 100% online with most courses just 8-weeks long. With all programs integrating biblical principles and industry best practices, graduates of Crown College are prepared to succeed both professionally and personally.
Crown is fully accredited by the High Learning Commission (HLC) and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report, MONEY Magazine, and Christian Universities Online.
The mission of Crown College is to provide a biblically-based education for Christian leaders. The Crown College experience is more than just a degree—it equips students to do what they do best, whether that’s as a nurse, a video technician, a teacher, a pastor or a business leader. It means taking the skills, talents, and passions that God has given to our students and showing them how to impact the world.
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