D+ Campus Strictness

So I've been trying to hold it in. I've been telling myself, DON'T write about it. But since I'm operating under a pseudonym, I finally feel the freedom to get it off my chest.

My school is rated on campus prowler as a D+ on strictness. Underneath that rating, several students from my college wrote how thankful they were for the rules, how they didn't like them at first, but how the rules MOLDED them. I'm here to tell you that those people who commented have already graduated and they can speak with such calm wisdom because the rules no longer affect them.

Admittedly when I wasn't a student here for a spell, the rules became pretty foggy and honestly they didn't bother me that much while I was on campus.

At my former job, people used to tease me for being so conservative. I always dressed up - slacks and a blazer - I wanted to dress for the job I wanted, not the job I had. I was a college sunday school teacher, a representative for my employer in the community, a hispanic children's church teacher, and an active member of our Bible Study. Life had its ups and downs for sure - but of one thing I was confident--I LOVED being a Christian. I didn't drink to have fun- didn't need to. My relationship with God was constantly top priority, my focus was on learning more of HIM, I was in love with spending time with God's people, and I was constantly inviting people to join me.

Then I came back. My teachers are awesome. I'm half-way through the semester and I feel like I'm getting a truly quality education. And then the administration opens their mouth. Instantly, I feel like a child. Not only do they severely regulate what I wear on-campus, but they regulate what I wear OFF-campus--in my own neighborhood, at my off-campus work, at the grocery store, and even behind the girl's dorms. The latest thing that ticks me off? I just got an email saying that we needed to go into campus and have the Dean of Women check all pants that we plan to wear off-campus. WOA. I'm looking at my closet literally thinking - where do I start? When did this become the job of the university?

The worst part is that the administration is constantly reminding us that we are not to post any complaints on facebook or anywhere public. We are strictly told never to speak to the press (that's normal for most organization's, but here it just seems like another ploy to keep us silent). I'm all about looking at the positive side of things and shutting up when you want to complain. But do they really have to put "do not complain" in the form of a sermon? They should probably just say, "Hey, we know we have a D+ rating on strictness and our enrollment numbers are down, so please help us appear better to the next generation of students by not telling them what it's really like."

So I go from in love with God and absolutely loving the involvement I could have in my church to....dreading the stiffness of church. It's like you sit in those pews and you can just FEEL the obligation. Everyone is OBLIGED to be there. There's no heart!! There's no waving of hands or singing it out on the chorus. There's just a stiff suit up there telling the congregation to keep up with a hymn that should have been quietly laid to rest about 10 years ago.

The thing that gets me is that everyone is so focused on having a "Christian spirit" - so any freedom of speech is actually frowned on. Men are the leaders, women are to prepare to be good submissive wives. I actually agree that men should be the leader in the home and I constantly am learning that I SHOULDN'T be in control. I gladly hand over the reigns. But this spirit of quietness feels smothering! The administration is so obviously working hard to increase numbers. But I as the prospective student would be looking at three things - accredidation, finances, and balance.

Regarding balance, when I'm choosing a school, I want to know - do you guide me so I can learn what is appropriate in society? Do you teach me what is professional? Do you encourage me to pursue Christ? In this way rules are SO good - because I don't want to be on a campus where I'm being pressured to do wrong things. But I'm also wanting to know - do you treat me like an adult? Do you let me make my own decisions about things that are not explicitly stated in scripture as being wrong? Does God REALLY hate what I would choose to do, or do YOU just not like it? Are you sexist?

It's a bold thing to say, but I'm going to say it. I'm convinced if my school were led by women, it wouldn't have quite so many rules for women. I.E. The majority of strict rules are regulating the women, NOT THE MEN. Notice, the women were asked to get their pants checked, not men. Imbalance? But since we all have such a quiet spirit, no one's actually going to raise this point because then we would be branded as an unsubmissive, unchristian woman.

I want to stop complaining and just do something constructive about it. I really want to pray about it, go to the administration and speak the truth in love as to WHY their numbers are down. But then they would know my name....

All I can say is that the difference between the freedom to be a Christian and the obligation to be a Christian is so stark - I am astonished at the way it affects even me. Let the black sheep show their colors! Then you have less hypocrites!!

All I can say is that I won't be inviting anyone to join my new Christian circle any time soon.