Temple Covington

Clare Sansburn
English 121:74
Autoethnography
September 16, 2013

Christianity in College
The word Christianity is simple in definition, meaning someone who follows the
teachings of Jesus Christ and accepts him as Lord and savior. When ones younger the
beliefs and morals of ones parents are thrust upon them, but as one ages and begins to
find their own niches and uniqueness, completely separate from their parents, new ideas
form. College: the best and worst C word there is. College offers a multitude of
chances to explore and discover, but it also offers temptation at every corner. Through
my school years, I have learned the struggles of having a faith-based education. Being
Christian in todays society is a permanent brand that once it is there, it cannot simply be
erased.
I dont go out every night, and I choose to surround my self with positive people
whose way of life I believe in. I feel like even though my beliefs maybe arent for
everyone, I feel like the important people in my life really understand and accept me. In
high school a lot of the people in my class would party regularly. One of my good friends
was throwing a Halloween costume party one day, and I decided to go. I knew there was
going to be alcohol and drugs, because I knew that she herself did these things, but I

wanted to go anyway and have a good time and dance. When I got there, I was excited,
because I had decided to be a sailor and I was really happy with my outfit. I drove to the
party by myself, but I met up with one of my friends. We walked into the party and were
greeted by my friends dad. He pointed us upstairs to the party. When we walked in, it
was hard to see, and the smell was horrid. There was weed everywhere and Jack Daniels
in red solo cups sitting on the tables and thrown on the floor. I sat down for a couple of
minutes on the couch and then realized I would be doing that the whole night because no
one was dancing. Getting high and drunk was their interest. I arrived at 11pm and left at
11:10PM. I realized a lot about myself that day. I was trying to fit into what I thought was
the norm and started to lose myself in the pressure. I think that the Halloween party was a
great thing, and it taught me how strong my morals really are. I thought it was very out of
character for a parent to let their child host such a party. For one, the activity that was
going on upstairs was not only wrong, but also illegal to allow.
Regardless of the Halloween party from hell, being in high school was a much
easier place to escape temptation. I had a curfew, my mom always had me check in, and
going out past a certain time was not even a logical question to ask. Here at college, I am
in charge. I answer to nobody and come as I please. The rarefied air of the college social
life caused students to engage in activities they normally would have avoided (Top 10
Challenges Christian Students Face in College). My personal experience is that
temptation will literally come knocking on the door. For example, guys wanting to chill
at 4am, girls wanting to start a fight because you looked at them funny, and drugs and
alcohol so readily on hand, you would think the students owned a liquor store. College is
a hard transition, for a sheltered follower of Christ to go to a place with endless

possibilities, and that is why some people lose Christ and their religion during college.
According to George Barna 65 percent of high school students stop attending church
after they graduate (Why students abandon their faith). This is because, as college
students, people get so wrapped up into their new freedom and cannot see where God fits
into this new equation. Another possible reason for the large percentage is because the
students are surrounding themselves with people that dont share the same ideas as them.
A key factor in faith degradation was the missing element of preemptive commitment.
In other words, too many did not decide beforehand who they were and wanted to
become (Top 10 Challenges Christian students face in college). For example, if one does
not believe in sex before marriage, but all of their friends do and are continually saying
that ones choices are wrong, one might believe them and become a victim of peer
pressure (Why students abandon their faith). Lastly, a factor that contributes to the
decline of religion in college is that the young person never believed in the religion that
he or she were preaching in the first place. They called themselves Christians, because
that was what their parents were, and they felt they needed to be that also. In reality,
though, the title of Christian was not important to them at all.
To be a member of the Christian culture in college is to be an outsider, not
technically the person in the corner all by themselves, but an outsider emotionally. No
one, will understand the struggle unless they are living through it with you. Figure one
details that once children reach adolescence religion becomes less important to them.

Figure 1 (SSRC Guide: Religious

Engagement Among American Undergraduates)
As a Christian, I feel as though my religion is important, but it is not something I
think about daily. I do not read the bible frequently, nor have I ever really read more than
the first book. One of the biggest misconceptions people make about my Christianity is
that since I am a Christian I am up tight, a prude even. The media now a days, portrays
Christians as the good kids who never do anything wrong and are always helping and
loving. Now do not get me wrong, I try to be a good person through my words and
actions, but Im not perfect. People expect the religious students to act differently than
the other students who are not religious. For example, if I am at a party dancing with my
friends someone might look at me funny just because I am a Christian. They think that
just because I believe in Jesus I cant go out and dance with my friends at a party. The
idealized view people have of Christians is completely wrong; no one fits inside their
perfectly sculpted stereotype.
I personally feel that I am mostly inaccurately perceived as a Christian. I do not
pray everyday or go around teaching and/or preaching Gods word. When people hear
that I am a Christian their first thought is how extreme am I really? Am I going to try and
save them from the devil or try to change their actions? Even though some Christians

may do this that is not my intention nor want. I interviewed my roommate on her
experience of being a Christian in a place that is full of temptation. Ahlana Lawshea said,
Although I am a Christian I am not a big church person. She followed up this
statement saying that she believes in Jesus and accepts him as her savior, but church
services, praise hymns, and praying are not her cup of tea. She prefers to be Christian
through her actions. She is accepting of diversity and tries her best daily to be the good,
well rounded, strong female that God shaped her to be(Lawshea). I find this a very
interesting way of thinking. I agree with Ahlana and her statement, because I am not a big
church person either. I do attend church regularly, but I would much rather live my days
as a Christian outside rather than inside a church. I also interviewed Austin Barnes on his
thoughts about being a Christian athlete in college. When asked how he felt about
homosexuality and the effects being Christian have had on his friends selection he said
being gay was alright and people should have the right to love who they want as far as
his friend selection goes being a Christian has not influenced who he spends time with
(Barnes).
Some of my Christian beliefs conflict with those most commonly believed by
other Christians, for example, I just recently attending a lecture on Friday September, 13
for my University 101L class called The Truth Behind Hip-hop. The event was hosted
by the Ypsilanti Community Church and was held in the student center. Pastor G. Craige
Lewis who is a traveling motivational speaker of shorts presented the lecture. Although,
this particular lecture was advertised to be about hip-hop, it turned into a sermon instead
on how people should live their lives. Pastor Lewis expresses these ideas A woman
needs a man in her life to feel completea woman needs not to have an identity of her

own for she is a part of her husband and no longer her own person (Lewis). This idea
shocked me and was quite offensive. I am a Christian, but I am foremost a lady and
someone who is proud of her identity. Also to me, being gay and loving someone of the
same sex is as natural and as beautiful as loving someone of a different sex. I would not
call myself a feminist, but unlike the bible I think women can be independent, unmarried,
and happy.
My feeling these days is that the younger generation is more open and loose with
the word Christian. People say yes I am a Christian then they list the activities they
participate in like selling drugs, having sex and being unaccepting to diversity and one
wants to step back in utter shock. People like my grandmother, who is 82 years old,
believes in the bible more word for word. She is not prejudice toward gay people, but I
would not say she is as accepting of them as I am. In conclusion all these situations have
really made me appreciate my upbringing and my mother. At times she can be strict and
demanding, but she made me the person I am today, a strong, independent, black,
Christian woman. Overall, my Christian values and my morals have made me and I
would never change a thing about me.

Works cited
Barnes, Austin. Personal Interview. 17 Sept 13.
"CPYU | The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding." Why Students Abandon Their
Faith. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.
Lawshea, Ahlana. Personal Interview. 16 Sept 13.
Lewis, G Craige. The Truth Behind Hip-hop. Eastern Michigan University student center,
Ypsilanti. 13 Sept. 2013
"SSRC Guide: Religious Engagement Among American Undergraduates." SSRC Guide:
Religious Engagement Among American Undergraduates. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.
"Top 10 Challenges Christian Students Face in College." Cedarville University. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.