Scared of Going Back to School? You Bet!

by James Wenger

More than a decade has passed since you last sat in a classroom. Now you face furlough and study with considerable apprehension. You’re not alone. Fears about going back to school are understandable.

More than a decade has passed since you last sat in a classroom. Now you face furlough and study with considerable apprehension. You’re not alone. Fears about going back to school are understandable.

I’ve talked with many missionaries who come to Columbia Biblical Seminary and Graduate School of Missions and they all tell me the same story about how scary it is to set foot on campus. They share certain common fears that will be yours as well, but there are some good ways to cope with them.

Here are some common concerns:

1. The fear of not fitting in with and keeping up with younger students, who obviously will be more competent and energetic.

2. The fear of not being current and conversant with the latest theological, biblical, and cultural issues in the U.S. This fear can grip missionaries, even though they try to read theological journals and try to keep abreast of American thinking and culture.

3. The fear of not being able to meet reading, research, and writing requirements. Particularly at the graduate level, "Can I actually make it?" becomes a vivid specter.

4. The fear of not having enough time to meet study demands along with commitments to family, supporting churches, and the mission. How can a missionary possibly do an adequate job in all these matters and still find time for some rest and recuperation?

On one furlough, when my four children were between two and twelve, I decided to get some further training. All of the fears mentioned above paralyzed me to some degree at several stages. But let me encourage you that I found ways to cope with these fears, and you can too. Here are some ideas:

First, if you are afraid of not being able to keep up with younger students, remember that your maturity, experience, and motivation will keep you quite competitive. People with field experience can contribute to class discussions in significant ways. From what I’ve seen on our campus, missionaries bring younger students a valued dimension of life experience as a peer.

Let’s admit that the fear of not being current is well-founded. Missionaries do live in other cultures and with people of different worldviews. Their lives are shaped by this context. However, this must be seen as an asset that more than makes up for not being up-to-date on the latest fads.

Missionaries have a cross-cultural point of view that enables them to challenge what may be presented or discussed as biblical, when it really is greatly colored by the American context.

Recent research on the way students study shows that the bulk of learning takes place outside the classroom and in the absence of an instructor. This is true of both on-campus students who go to class as well as of students who use nontraditional means of study.

This finding should encourage those who are reentering formal study, to meet their fear that they won’t be able to compete or contribute to the learning process. Many missionaries have already been required—through language and cross-cultural learning—to rely on their resources apart from a teacher. They already are self-directed, autonomous learners. They have gained what many younger campus students have yet to master: independent learning skills.

Perhaps the best way to conquer the fear of not meeting reading and writing proficiencies is to work at doing a reading or writing project prior to furlough. Of course, institutions give help to those who need it in these skills, but I think it’s better to prove to yourself that you can do it.

You could enroll in an intensive course prior to taking on a full year’s study. Or, you could complete an independent study course that requires reading and writing skills.

Independent study programs by extension follow personal instruction very closely and include course requirements that parallel those of on-campus study, usually with the same instructor and textbooks. These courses use taped lectures and a study guide, often with an anthology of readings. Assignments include essays and papers. Usually, there’s a final exam or project.

If you do a course like this prior to your study furlough, you will build your confidence that you will bring the necessary study skills to campus.

The "time demand" fear must be faced squarely in the light of God’s priorities for your life. You can find time for what you believe is important. Set realistic goals for yourself, your family, your church, and your mission that will allow you to be faithful to your studies.

Your priorities will help you to develop your study objectives and reasonable schedule. God’s empowering will bring the necessary discipline to carry you through.

Continuing education is a satisfying way to dispel those "over the hill, out of touch, underskilled, overloaded" notions. Don’t allow fear to sidetrack you from finding fulfillment and satisfaction in study.

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