FUCHS: Faith can be enriching part of college experience
Column: Questioning Jules
I grew up Catholic and was raised by Catholic standards. I went to church every Sunday, received my first communion and was confirmed. When I got to college, I thought that I would continue to practice my faith in the way I always had. Unfortunately, things did not work out that way. I lost touch with my faith and gave up on having hope for a lot of things.
College was a hard time for me as I struggled with a lot of personal issues as well as the constant stress and pressure of keeping a good GPA. I easily lost touch with myself and my roots and became consumed with the stresses of life. I wanted to reconnect with my faith and meet a good group of friends, which were two things that grew increasingly difficult for me.
As a master’s student, I joined a student organization called Chi Alpha, which is a Christian fellowship. Through joining this club, I learned how important it is to stick with your faith and roots while in college.
This does not necessarily mean that you need to stick with faith specifically — you can explore other facets of life such as spirituality or other routes. That way, you can figure out what works best for you. Celebrating your culture and upbringing while in college is a vital part of personal growth and happiness and helps you develop into the fullest and most authentic version of yourself.
Being a member of Chi Alpha has introduced me to a new spiritual journey that I am excited to be a part of. I now enjoy worship with others and talking through my struggles through a religious lens. In addition to feeling better, I have also met a lot of great people by joining this organization, and I have never felt more welcome. Every single person in this organization has shown me kindness and acceptance, and I cannot be more grateful for that.
Whenever I enter a “Monday Night Live” meeting, I am greeted by excited members who are happy that I showed up and who want to get to know me better. As a more introverted and shy person, it can be very difficult for me to gain the courage to talk to new people. As a graduate student especially, being older than everyone, I feel a little uneasy about joining new organizations.
I almost feel like I am an old lady among college students even though I am only a few years older! Chi Alpha has made me feel welcome, despite being older and in a different phase of life. The events and being with the group is simply intoxicating. I cannot get enough of this organization and its amazing members.
I am not writing this to try and force Christianity on anyone — there are plenty of other organizations that are faith-based on campus. My experience has been overwhelmingly positive, and I firmly believe that joining a faith-based group is one of the best decisions I have made while in school. It is nice to be around people who were raised in similar households to me and to have such a special thing in common. I encourage people of all faiths to celebrate it and find a community of people to gather with.
I began to doubt my faith in college, and it became increasingly difficult to stick with it given how much has happened in the world over the past few years. We were all in a dark place and still are for the most part.
Faith has been my light at the end of the tunnel and has given me new hope. I was able to learn more about how I want to practice my faith by being a member of Chi Alpha and learned where I fit into everything. Having faith can bring new emotions and reassurance to your life. I feel loved by believing, no matter what happens, there is always hope for things to get better.
Of course, faith is not for everyone. But all are welcome and encouraged to celebrate. It has become such an important part of my daily life and given me motivation to get up in the morning, truly becoming the best version of myself.
I have been inspired to better myself as a result of being in Chi Alpha and celebrating my faith. I have also been more comfortable with myself and meeting new people. But if you choose not to follow your faith, that is also alright. It is a personal choice and will not benefit you if you are forcing yourself to practice. Finding a light in your life is the most important thing to do in order to better yourself and your situation.
I guess what I am trying to say is that finding a home at college will make your experience so much better. Sticking to your roots and exploring them further can help to enable you to try new things. Once you are comfortable with yourself and your surroundings, the world is your oyster. Your community does not have to be faith-based, and you can find community and home in all places on campus.
Julia Fuchs is a graduate student in the art history department studying Cultural Heritage and Preservation. Her column, "Questioning Jules," runs on alternate Thursdays.
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