This blog was originally published January 2019 and was updated February 2023.
So, you’ve just attended Greek Conference and now you're back on campus. Chances are you made new friends, got to know your chapter better and learned new things about God, yourself, and your chapter. Your ears may still be ringing from the dance party. Your homework pile may still be growing. You may even still be riding that post-conference high.
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But the “conference high” won’t last forever.
You might actually be feeling like this right now:
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To avoid hitting a wall, here are some of my best practices for navigating life after Greek Conference.
1. Make a plan and stick to it
How did God meet you at Greek Conference? Did you make any commitments over the weekend? Make a plan right now on how you are going to implement what you learned at Greek Conference.
- Was it to follow Jesus for the first time? Check out this website and invite a friend to go through it with you. Reach out to a staff worker to start a discipleship group with you and a friend.
- Was it to connect with God on a more regular basis? Check out our podcast (season 8 is all about how to grow a relationship with God!) or this Bible study website from InterVarsity.
- Was it to start a Bible study for your chapter? Check out our Chapter Ministries website to learn more! Connect with your staff for additional resources.
2. Commit yourself to community
When we have intense experiences, the temptation is to hide ourselves away. Sometimes things are stirred up that make us feel exposed and vulnerable. You will want hide and isolate yourself. It’s ok to take some alone time but not in a way that closes you off from God and others.
God did not create us to be alone. In fact, before God created women, he actually declared to Adam that solitary existence was the only thing that wasn’t good about creation. By not being part of a community of believers, I believe that we actually can’t fully understand and experience God.
Make a commitment to be part of your Greek IV/InterVarsity fellowship on campus. If you have a time conflict when your fellowship meets, seriously consider rearranging your schedule so that you can attend. Reach out to your Greek IV staff or one near you to learn about ways you can plug into Greek IV.
3. Rest & Process
Greek Conference was fun but exhausting. Give yourself space to rest. If you don’t rest, you may find yourself lashing out at those around you or turning to alcohol, drugs, sex etc… to provide you with a release. This may sound dramatic but this is true. After an intense, emotional experience, we can easily revert to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Make sure you are able to catch up on sleep this week. Take care of your body.
You also need space to contemplate how God met you and how he wants you to respond. Schedule yourself some extended time with God. Seriously, get your planner or open iCal right now. One or two hours would be ideal for you to journal and pray about what God is doing in your life.
Check out this helpful blog on how to have a retreat of silence.
4. Share Your Experience with someone
God has done great things at Greek Conference and a way to solidify what he has done is to share it with a friend. Is there a brother or sister who would benefit hearing what Greek Conference was like for you? Is God prompting you to share your testimony with someone?
A piece of warning, not everyone will react enthusiastically to the changes you will start to make after Greek Conference. Some might criticize you or say disrespectful things that might hurt you. You will want to respond defensively or you might even regret the decisions you made at GC. Pray that God would give you strength to deal with criticism and stay committed to him.
Greek Conference was fantastic and exciting. God wants you to bring back that same energy and enthusiasm for him to your Greek system and chapter. My hope is that you transition well and continue to experience God in tremendous ways- both in the exciting and boring moments this semester. Trust him, he is present with you.
