If someone were to ask me about an aspect of my life that has changed the most since coming to college, my answer would have to be my relationship with religion. I was raised in the Catholic faith. I’ve been baptized, received my First Holy Communion, and had my Confirmation. I remember hating being forced to go to mass every Sunday, and we always went to mass on major holidays. I also attended Catholic all-girls school from 8-12th grade where we had to say a prayer every morning before the Pledge of Allegiance, take a theology class every year, and attend mass and religious gatherings during the school day. I have never considered myself a devout Catholic, but religion has always been a big part of my life, whether I wanted it to be or not.
Coming into college has definitely changed that. Last year (my freshman year) I tried to go to mass on Sundays and even participated in the Ash Wednesday service. But now, I never go to mass, I never pray, I never even really think about God or my faith. I still go to mass on major holidays but that’s about it. I simply just haven’t made time for religion in my busy college schedule. It’s weird to think something that was such a huge part of my life is virtually gone from it now. And now, especially with the start of the Lenten season (on Ash Wednesday) I have been thinking a lot about my relationship with religion. I have decided that I want to take a deeper dive into and explore it more. I want to see if I can reconnect with it in a new way. For this reason, I have decided that I will be praying more during Lent. I want to use prayer as a type of meditation and reflection for myself. A way to reconnect with myself, not necessarily with God. Because only through myself will I be able to truly know what I believe in.
**Lent is a 40 day religious observance that starts of Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter (the day when Jesus Christ resurrected). It is intended as a time for personal growth and reflection. Typically, Catholics perform a Lenten sacrifice where they either abstain from something they enjoy, whether it be a habit or food, or they commit to do something more such as pray, volunteer, go to church, etc.
If you want to join me, Lent can be a time to rekindle that New Years resolution you may have forgotten about. It doesn’t have to be religious. Here’s some ideas if you choose to accept.
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No more plastic
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Give up sweets, chocolate, or soda, etc
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Give up some type of technology (social media, Netflix/Hulu/Disney+, etc.)
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Volunteer once a week (many college’s offer weekly service opportunities)
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Call your parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, etc. more often