I have been inside my university’s chapel three times: once for opening exercises freshman year, once for a chapel choir concert (and I had a massive crush on someone in chapel choir), and once for a senior thesis performance of a passion play that my friend was stage managing. It’s a beautiful building, all gray sandstone on the outside and dark wood pews inside. Alumni get married there every weekend in the spring. I pass by it almost every day on my way from the library to the late night café that serves free cookies (which is right under the Office of Religious Life).
I was not raised in a religious household, and I’m still very nonreligious in college. But religion happens to be a large part in the lives of some of my friends, and contrary to conventional thought, college is not quite a Bastion of Sin and Depravity. I’m not lying and saying that college is a tame, sleepy educational institution. But faith does have a place in a college campus.
The physically imposing presence of a university chapel aside, there are plenty of places on a campus to find people of your own faith—often through student-run groups. On my campus, there are several Christian groups of varying involvement and denominations, for those whose other extracurriculars might take precedent (or might not). Mission trips over breaks are planned for several, while others just involve a weekly Saturday night dinner. We have a Center for Jewish Life that serves kosher food every day—it’s available to the entire student body, as well, and the building itself offers great study rooms (and it has a printer, too, so I can print out my labs on my way to class after lunch). The CJL also holds a range of services for various movements (Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform are the main three denominations), and it often presents its own cultural events to accommodate certain restrictions. For example, there is a yearly CJL-produced play (the play does not have to be about anything Jewish) that does not perform on Shabbat, unlike most of the other theatrical productions on campus.
Furthermore, the university administration isn’t the only source of religious needs for students. There are many student groups on campus who offer support and resources in varying capacities, again depending on your personal commitment. On my campus, there are several Hindu and Muslim groups, some which provide services and some which simply provide a social group for its students on religious customs (such as navigating the dining hall offerings or leaving bags of treats outside its members’ dorm rooms on holidays).
My high school history teacher once described colleges as the Bastion of Liberalism and Secular Thought. And while there is certainly a lot of freedom and hedonism, if you’re looking for people who share your faith, to whatever degree—you’ll find them. There’s often a large activities fair at the beginning of the school year where you can add your name to a group’s mailing list, but if you don’t sign up in September, it’s not a big deal—groups will publicize their activities throughout the year, and it only takes a minute to show up and talk to the people already involved about involving yourself.
Naturally, most of these groups will throw study breaks and other large free food events (free food in college is always dependable). When you become involved in them, it’s probably good to scope out a food venue that gives student discounts or bulk discounts. Fuji Sushi, for example, has this great deal for 20% off catering college events. And college students, of whatever faith, love sushi.
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Robin Yang (Princeton Univeristy)
I tweet while I’m at work. I’ve yet to master the hashtag.
My blog of hedonism and liberalism and other college mainstays.
Photo from Wikipedia
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