JanSport was one of the sponsors for Freshman Orientation
Working the Registration/Check-In desk – I was the Barcode Scanner Operator (harder than it sounds, it was very touchy)
Making friends at the Registration Desk
Classes have just started for the college students at St. Scholastica’s, and I have been assisting the Student Council and the Council of Student Leaders in helping with “Frosh Orientation.” I was very fortunate to have had a “Turning Titan” week at Illinois Wesleyan, which is run very well. At IWU, the new students move in a week ahead of time and get that time to learn their way around campus, settle into their new home, make friends through icebreaker activities facilitated by student leaders assigned to class-sized groups and a carnival night, interspersed with informational sessions and “safe practices” skits related to drinking and sexual health. The college orientation at St. Scho is three information-packed days of sitting in a hall (air-conditioned, thank goodness!) and listening to hours and hours of speakers and presentations on various college offices and what they do, introduction of faculty, the imparting of Benedictine values and various rules and regulations. One of the days was also devoted to showcasing the various student organizations through “AVPs” – audio/visual presentations put together by the student orgs. There were a few intermission acts, like performances by the College Choir and Danz Edge, St. Scho’s dance group, as well as raffle gift giveaways by the orientation sponsors secured by the Student Council, but it was a long three days of sitting and listening that made me fondly recall the fun I had as a college freshman about to start the school year.
Here are some of the things I learned and observed while sitting at the Registration/Check-In desk at the back of the hall during Orientation.
To articulate some of the values I’ve discussed, here is a sampling of the past school themes, reflective of St. Scho’s mission-vision:
- SSS (2007-2009)
Serve Others, Save the Earth, Seek Peace and Pursue It
- CCC (2010-2012)
Christ, Country, Creation
- RRR (2013-2015)
Renewing Our Culture, Revitalizing Our Community, Restoring the Integrity of Mother Earth
As you can see, St. Scho values God, the Nation, and the Environment, and this is expressed through their themes.
In addition, they hold the values indicative of their Benedictine heritage. (St. Scholastica is the twin sister of St. Benedict, thus the natural choice for a Benedictine women’s college founded by nuns in the Order of St. Benedict). The ten hallmarks of a Benedictine education that graduates of St. Scholastica’s are supposed to exemplify are:
- Christ Centeredness
- Ora et Labora (“Prayer and Work”, the St. Scho motto)
- Obedience
- Humility
- Community
- Service
- Hospitality
- Silence and Good Speech
- Stewardship
- Discipline
In keeping with Benedictine values, they believe strictness is the best way to “amend faults and safeguard love,” as the Rule of St. Benedict (written as a rule book for sixth-century monks living in the monastery) says. As such, students at St. Scholastica’s are expected to adhere to many rules.
The college uniform, a plain white blouse and navy blue A-line skirt with the St. Scholastica’s seal sewn onto the collar and plain black heels, is full of rules: skirts worn to a length of anything but 2 inches below the knee, colored undergarments, and shoes other than 2 inch heels or with any embellishments are considered minor offenses and subject the wearer to a confiscation of their ID by security or faculty. Other minor offenses include: colored nail polish, dyed hair, wearing earrings, having tattoos, and wearing jewelry and accessories not mindful of the Benedictine value of simplicity. The male students (all 2% of them in the music department) are also not allowed to wear their hair long or grow facial hair.
On Saturday, civilian day, dress code is still implemented: pants only (no shorts or capri shorts), and anything sleeveless, sandal-type shoes, and dresses above the knee are not allowed to be worn on campus. Major offenses, besides normal University policies regarding plagiarism and violence, include being seen drinking or smoking in the school uniform, or posting/texting anything scandalous if you’re connected to the school. Image is very important.
To get one’s ID back after it has been confiscated, one needs to meet with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs to discuss the consequences – usually 4 hours of community service to be done on campus. Missing a required institutional event also requires making up for it with hours of community service.
Hearing all this, I really wish that I had been prepared ahead of time. I didn’t bring beach clothes or anything that would be revealing or inappropriate for an office environment back home, but I did brink things that I thought would be good business causal clothes for the tropics. Even though I knew I’d be working in a Catholic school, I didn’t think the rules about modesty would be so strictly regulated. Many of my dresses are sleeveless and shorter than 2 inches below the knee, and Kelsey and I both have colored hair. Oops. They’re showing us some leniency because we’re not students and don’t have to adhere to the same rules, but I’ve still gotten some dirty looks from a few nuns who see us walking around campus if I’m wearing a sleeveless blouse or a skirt that falls above the knee.
The atmosphere of St. Scholastica’s and the peculiar nature of our internship role has been the biggest learning curve I’ve faced. For one, I’m not Catholic. There is a lot of prayer that happens before meetings, classes, meals, and in closing of ceremonies, as well as throughout the day during announcements. I always stand when everyone else does, but I do not cross myself or repeat the prayers and phrases (although I know all the call and response prayers now, such as “St. Scholastica and St. Benedict…” “…pray for us.” “That in all things…” “…God may be glorified.” and so on). As such, I’ve gotten some strange looks, and have been put into situations where someone has asked me to lead the prayer and I’ve had to explain that I’m not Catholic. Even when touring places like Intramuros, the historic Spanish walled city, home to many old churches, I’ve had to wait off to the side when the faculty we were with stopped to pray first. Catholicism is everywhere, and the assumption of Catholic faith and familiarity with rituals is felt.
In addition, the college atmosphere is in itself different. I don’t know to what extent this is the religion, the culture, or natural maturity of age (remember, college starts 2 years earlier here because high school only goes up to 10th grade), but the college atmosphere feels very restricted. Sometimes I feel like I’m in high school. The norm here is still to ask parents’ permission for everything: from choice of major, classes, and even in signing permission slips (which the school requires). Most of the students live with their parents, even if it means a two hour commute every day, and I’ve been told that even married adults are expected to still ask permission of their parents for things. I’ve been asked several times how I got my parents to permit me to stay here for two months, if my parents allow me to have a boyfriend and color my hair, and etc. It is a far cry from the American college atmosphere where starting college symbolizes becoming an independent young adult – indeed, a transition that many parents celebrate in getting their child to move out.
I think this different focus on independence and the value put on obedience has been my biggest stumbling block and culture shock, because I sometimes feel like I don’t know how to relate to the students here – even the seniors who are my age – because we have different values in this respect. They strive for obedience, and it is a term that I balk at. To me, “obedience” sounds ominous; it means restricted freedom and being controlled. I value my independence and agency too much. One of the reasons I chose Illinois Wesleyan, to be perfectly honest, was to put some distance between myself and my home and family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
I also find it interesting that femininity is stressed over comfort. For example, the students are required to wear 2 inch heels every day, even though many of them have hours of commuting. Today was the first day of class, and the Student Council was passing out band-aids to students who were getting used to wearing their heels and cutting up their feet in the process of breaking in new shoes and walking up and down stairs to their classes. Even the female security guards who work here and spend all of their 12 hour shifts on their feet are required to wear dainty heeled boots as part of their uniform.
And although today was the first day of class, classes were suspended by the afternoon because of heavy rain. I understand that street flooding is a concern to commuters, but as a native Mid-westerner who has heartily wished for class suspension after getting a foot or more of snow or bitingly cold winds in the negative degrees, I was shocked to find out that classes are often cancelled in light of rain (and on the first day!)
It did cool things down though!