New isn’t an unfamiliar word to anyone.

Neither is experiencing something new; coming to college in the first place is something new.

And while at college, many things change. New schedules replace old ones, and new roommates come each year—for better or for worse. Then, graduating college and starting a career is another new experience.

Just look at today’s issue—published on the first day of a new month.

BJU has recently created two new schools, SCOPE and the School of Health Professions, and new students are adjusting to a new way of life at Bob Jones University. Not to mention, BJU is going to open a new golfing center.

In a world of change, new can sometimes become old. Sometimes, all we want is for everything to stay the same in order to keep ourselves sane.

But life typically isn’t like that. We have all experienced new in various areas of life.

Just this semester, The Collegian got new co-editors and writers and designers and photographers. (So, forgive us for any mistakes.)

Our lives’ changing and becoming new isn’t inherently bad, though. After all, think about our new life in Christ and the new relationship we can enjoy with Him as Christians.

However, sometimes we might think of change as an obstacle to be overcome instead of an opportunity to be embraced. Despite our worries about change,  sometimes a change in perspective can be a healthy thing.

Instead of feeling stressed about overcoming new circumstances, we can ask questions such as, “How can I grow from this?” or “What opportunities are now open to me?”

Changing our perspective on how we view change and the newness it brings, however, isn’t always easy.

When circumstances become difficult and turn for the worst, it is a rare person who sees an opportunity to embrace it for good. But that’s exactly what God wants us to do.

In Romans 8:28, Paul speaks to believers about how God works everything for good. Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

So while new circumstances and change are often intimidating or even problematic, remember that every season of life brings change and that, if we trust God, He will bring us through everything. And we will be better off for it.