Finding Your Spot

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Finding Your Spot

Lacey Csaszar, Fall 2015

            Now that college has challenged a young Christian in so many ways, those who are still faithful have the chance to find their spot in their college community. There are local churches run by students or that welcome students as well as Christian organizations and large events that are for Christians that are in the same season. It can be refreshing and a bit of safe haven for those that have to spend the next 4 years in this town. This can create new challenges for students though, some churches may do things differently than at home or have a slightly different view on key topics than how they were raised and this may become a point of contention between them and their family or friends from home as well.

            Many young Christians need a place where they can go to and not feel regularly rejected by the world around them. They need a place that when someone hears that they are a Christian, they aren’t immediately placed in a mental box that says who they are and what they must believe. Many times these assumptions are incorrect or misjudged by people who don’t have a large enough world view.

            This is why groups such as Delta Alpha Chi, a Christian Sorority exist, and ministries such as CRU and conferences such as Passion are so successful. As a young Christian I know that sometimes I am tired of feeling like I need a break from constantly defending my faith against those who are either ignorant or seek power in belittling me and my views. I try my best not to offend others by pestering them or being constantly in their face with my views, they are my own, not theirs, and I can respect that. I have been told off before for being different and asked to “kiss my a**” when I told a relative I would pray for them.

            I’m ready for the world to be different, the kind of world where no one fights wars over religious ideas or view, the kind that promotes peace and belonging for all outsiders. So many religions are similar in so many ways, but those who decide to shut their eyes only notice the differences, and cast out those who may walk a different path. Even as a Christian, I feel as if I know the truth, but I still feel compassion for every person I meet, no matter their race, religion or sex. We need more of that in the world, and I know I am not perfect either, but at least I try, that’s all we can do.

Young, Wild, and Free

Young, Wild, and Free

Lacey Csaszar, Fall 2015

            Mainstream society may demand much more than a young Christian’s conscience is willing to deliver. All of a sudden we went from parents and teachers telling us daily what to do, where to go, who to hang out with, and why its good for us. Now we have complete freedom, the difference is now we must be responsible for our own actions. There are many activities that a Christian college student may never have dreamed finding themselves in, but sometimes life surprises them and could take a turn they never expected. Drinking, smoking weed, and having premarital sex are just some of the challenges faced by young Christians. When they say no to any of these, they can be rejected by their peers and found to be a prude or a killjoy.

             Many young Christians today struggle to be friends with those who like having a little too much, “fun”. From the lifestyles they look up to, to the music they listen to, college friends may be the biggest challenge for a Christian in college. Christian values say no to getting drink, breaking the law, and having sex before marriage, but their friends are having fun and seemingly dealing with very few consequences, so why not? Situations like these can be discouraging for a Christian and their faith because other Christians may reject them for their actions or the results of their actions. The young student may simply decide not to be a Christian any longer since their lifestyle does not reflect it any more either.

Football and Fitting In

http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/FSU-Hopes-to-Deliver-Better-Wi-Fi-to-Fans-at-Doak-Soon-324359971.html

Football and Fitting In

Lacey Csaszar, Fall 2015

“F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E, FLORIDA STATE, FLORIDA STATE FLORIDA STATE!” The roar of the crowd and the thrill of the touchdown are some of the experiences only found at a school like Florida State University. Events always seem to be happening, football games, tailgates, and other athletic endeavors that students pour out in droves just to hope to catch a glimpse of their athletes and coaches. Sometimes even national sports stations show up to show their support, or quite possibly, try to capture our team making mistakes they can later take to their newsroom and play over and over again.

            There are lots of rivalries in college football, some are friendly, and others take a far more serious turn. While a for a young Christian it is challenging enough to defend your faith regularly, it is a whole other challenge to properly defend your football team. People will curse you, pick fights, challenge your sexuality, and even deface property, all in the name of who might be better in those four quarters of a football game. While it may be simple to mind our mouths and actions in day-to-day situations, it may be a whole new challenge attempting to follow what the Bible says in minding ourselves in a heated post game loss. Tempers may flair, and when actions occur, sometimes others doubt our faith when we mess up.

This leads to a whole new challenge of also supporting a team that may not exude Christian standards. While we have freely chosen to support this school, we have not elected these individuals to represent us, we simply support them for their actions on the football field, and others condemn us when their actions on the streets are unfavorable. Actions, as Christians, we may not support either.

Religious Courses at a Public University

Photograph by Bill Lax for the FSU Photography Services, 2012.

Religious Courses at a Public University

Lacey Csaszar, Fall 2015

            Courses at public universities can be challenging. While the professors are very aware of what can and cannot be said in a public university course, many students come into the course with set views and see the study of a religion as a way that theirs may be challenged. Some Christian students struggle being in these courses because of the style they have to be taught in. When taking a course regarding the New Testament they are asked to challenge the text that they are studying, which can be unsettling for a young Christian. As Christian’s accept these words to be fact, based on their faith, others do not, and this can feel like an exhausting exercise in defense every time the topic arises.

            Other courses that focus on other faiths that are not Christianity can be challenging for young students as well. Being able to think and critically discuss another religion, while not simply condemning it, at least internally, is a stretch for many young Christian adults. In fact, learning about so many other religions and cultures may even lead young Christians to a new religious devotion, or simply away from Christianity in general. It doesn’t help that bringing questions and curiosities back to their religious groups can be detrimental, as it may be seen as questioning their own faith and they could become rejected. It is a fine line to walk as a young Christian in a public university, understanding the world around you and other people’s beliefs, while at the same time maintaining their own or perhaps modify them accordingly. 

Moving to College

Image Credit: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, photo by Gerald Ensley

Moving to College is major step.

Lacey Csaszar, Fall 2015

           When a student leaves home and moves to college lots of things happen. New people. New places. New Influences. This leaves a lot of opportunity for people to transform themselves, especially young adults who are still growing in many ways. As a Christian in college there are many ways that a student may lose, gain, or modify their faith while moving to college.

            It starts with a student moving into a dorm and meeting their new roommate. Sometimes, if their lucky, they will have enough similarities to make their time living together peaceful. Other times, when they have strong different preferences, there can be issues. One particular occasion occurred with the two girls who lived across from me freshman year of college. One girl practiced an avid Catholic faith by going to mass daily and putting images relevant to her religion around the room. Her roommate was Jewish and felt unsettled by the images that she had to live with every day. This ended up with a move for one of the girls to another dorm room where she would feel more comfortable.

            This is just one struggle that young Christians may face in college. Moving into a new place with new people who may not be of your same faith can be especially challenging if they are devoted to another faith or if they simply regard religion as false. Some end up losing their faith because their environment is not a proponent of it, others become challenged to maintain it because those around them encourage choices that disregard their religious practices.