If you have ever witnessed the line up at Bagel Place on a Sunday morning in College Park then it may seem evident to you that when it comes to religion, most UMD students are devout members of the church of the breakfast bagel. Is this really the case though, or does religion still play any kind of significant role in the life of a college student?
According to an article from The Time-Herald online, 90 percent of high school students who regularly attend church in the 12th grade will have stopped attending church by the time they graduate college. (http://www.times-herald.com/religion/Unevangelized-college-students–859604).
Perhaps one of the reasons you find more students downing bagels on Sunday morning than filing into pews is that for the most part college students leave home. Away from their family’s watchful eye, perhaps there is no longer the same pressure or expectation to attend any type of religious service.
Another explanation could be that once people enter college they are suddenly surrounded by people of all different backgrounds and beliefs, where partying often times becomes the main priority. For senior communication major Harley Levine, leaving home has certainly influenced her involvement in the Jewish faith.
“I’m not really involved in religion anymore,” Levine said. “There is not as much of a religious influence here. I don’t have a menorah with me at school or my mom telling me to go to temple.”
For many students it may become evident once they enter college that their religious behavior was driven more by community and parental pressure, than by deeply held beliefs. According to senior communication major Jacqueline Valois, who grew up attending Catholic schools, “In high school my family and I always went to church at least every other weekend and now I go maybe once every three months. College is really stressful and I have a lot of work and I don’t have the time.”
On the other hand, for junior broadcast journalism major Lauren Holstein, religion didn’t play a very important role in her life back home. “At home I stopped everything religious at thirteen after my Bat Mitzvah,” Holstein said.
Even though Holstein was not particularly committed to the Jewish faith, she got involved in MJX, the Maryland Jewish Experience during her sophomore year after a friend suggested it to her as a way to stay involved on campus.
“Everyone there was really young and I never once felt pushed to be more religious,” Holstein said. “It was so casual and so nice. I was involved more because I enjoyed the people and the activities not because of Judaism,” Holstein said.
Though Holstein no longer participates in MJX, the Rabbi did help her land a summer internship in New York City last summer, and she continues to remember her involvement fondly. “ I learned a lot and I liked it but I wouldn’t say I’m more religious because of it,” Holstein said.
Not all students, however, find themselves leaning towards the secular in college. For junior broadcast journalism major Nina Napolitano, her experiences at college have drawn her back to her Catholic roots.
“At first I used college as an excuse to not have to go to church, but then I realized the environment we’re in is almost more of an excuse to go to church and be closer to God.”
Napolitano found that while she enjoyed the college atmosphere at UMD, she needed something more in her life,
“Last year I really started to feel unsatisfied with everything that was going on in my life and unhappy about a number of things,” Napolitano said. “Feeling like all these activities like partying and drinking were unfulfilling left me feeling empty so I started going to church more often, at least once a week, but usually two or three times. It was totally life changing for me, it was exactly what I needed.”
Even though the weekend morning crowds at Bagel Place may indicate otherwise, religion does have a place on campus, and a lot of students like Napolitano find it to be a comforting escape from the college chaos. UMD has a variety of student religious groups and centers and even provides access to chaplains representing over 15 different faiths. (https://www.chapel.umd.edu/faith/faith.asp).
While it may appear that UMD students are losing their religion, if you keep your eyes and ears open you may be surprised to find out how many of your classmates stay involved in some form or another. If you ask them, they may even be willing to discuss it with you over a Bagel Place breakfast.