Letter to the editor: Student voices opinion

I came to Milligan College because I yearned to be in a Christian community. I had visited here as a sophomore, junior and senior in high school and was overwhelmed with the warm light that radiated from the students in which I met. So, when I came here I expected it to be close to the same way. Maybe I was too idealistic. I come from a home of hostile non-Christians; maybe I expected Christians to be so much better than non-Christians in the acceptance department.

I now know how wrong I was in that expectation. After my first year here, I wanted to leave due to my serious disillusionment with the student body. I only stayed because a few professors encouraged me that as students mature, they blossom and my Humanities credits would transfer poorly while I was in the middle of the program.

So they appealed to my emotional and rational sides, and I stayed only to feel more frustrated at the end of my second year.

I had then decided that I would just try to go to class and not care about belonging to a community. But, in my junior year serious trauma struck my life, and I had a desperate need for a compassionate community. The very first thing I encountered was cold Christians who only knew how to pass judgment. Yet again, I threw myself on the mercy of a few professors, and they, along with three precious students, helped me live through othewise unbearable circumstances. At this time in my life the Milligan College community was more interested in the private details of my life as fodder for gossip than they were concerned for my emotional, physical or even spiritual well-being.

I find myself a senior now, and I’ve put aside all thoughts of ideal behavior from fellow Christians. I’ve decided to be more involved in the campus. I’ve decided that if I feel it’s so bad here, I can try to change it by trying to be an example of the type of people I’d like to see here. Apparently, the Milligan College community does not want that type of person here because in my sincere attempts to be that example, I’ve been sought out and struck down by many for my vocal differences.

I have removed all ideals and now compare you with the secular school just five minutes from here. I can go there where people have no reason to accept me, where people have no spiritual connection through Christ, and I find more acceptance. How is it that I, a Christian, can have more community with people of various faiths (or no faith at all) while I am seriously lacking of that here at a supposedly Christian institution? How is it that my experience here has been so negative? Is it because I haven’t tried hard enough? Barring selling out and acting just like everyone else, how can I keep my identity and be accepted by you?

For those of you who don’t know me, think of someone you’ve treated similarly. Recognize that you need to have communion with people outside your everyday clique of friends.