By John Mark Redding
Being at Oklahoma Christian University is great, at least it was.
When you first get to Oklahoma Christian you are caught up in all sorts of activities and thrown into groups of people whom you have never met. You feel a part of something. You feel included.
Personally, the major part of that inclusion I felt at first has been taken away. There seems to be a system that you are expected to fit into, and whomever doesn’t fit in is singled out by loneliness.
After the initial weeks of school, you are expected to fit into a tight group of people who associate primarily with themselves. Though this works for most people, it sucks for a few.
The person who likes to be a group hopper is never fully included by any of the groups, and by some they are slightly scorned. This shouldn’t be the case. The culture at a Christian school should be one of openness, and inclusion into the family.
At this school, you also see people carelessly throwing out the phrase “How are you?” This can be a fine question when actually sincere. However, this is rarely the case. Many people speedily speak this phrase as they hastily rush by, already signing off without considering the reply.
This is so ingrained into our everyday interactions. It crushes me every time I try to give a reply to that question, and all I get in response is a turned back rushing away. It gives me less hope in humanity if our Christian school doesn’t have the time to acknowledge and care for someone’s well being in a heartfelt way.
This has been my experience the past few months. Though most individuals are friendly and kind on their own, once they are around their core group they hardly pay you any mind. And if they have anything going on they tend to put on a mask while really not thinking a bit about how you are.
I would like this to change.
John Mark Redding is a junior at Oklahoma Christian University.
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