Some Christian students abstain from everyday indulgences during Lent, forgoing coffee, alcohol, cigarettes or candy for the 40 days and nights between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Others strive to be more creative in their sacrifices.
Jonathan Galeano '08, president of the Princeton Texans Club, gave up his trademark Western attire for Lent. Galeano, who normally wears cowboy hats, boots and belt buckles, cast off his Texan garb. "It was a new experience (in that I have never given this particular thing up before) and that it has brought me closer to God," Galeano wrote in an email.
Nene Kalu '07, the undergraduate co-coordinator of the Aquinas Institute, said in an email that she successfully "gave up chocolate and watching 'Alias' DVDs" for Lent. "And yes, I did eat a lot of chocolate on Easter — probably more than I should have."
Richard Lopez '09, a Reform Christian and a member of Manna Christian Fellowship, originally intended to give up facebook.com for Lent, going so far as to deactivate his account. But the site proved too addictive for Lopez. "I got kind of selfish. My birthday was coming up, and I thought I'd just reactivate my account for that," he explained. "But after that, well ... I still used Facebook, but tried to use it less, I guess."
The Rev. Stephen White of the Episcopal Church at Princeton said students might want to consider different forms of personal sacrifice than giving up treats like chocolate.
"What if you read a passage from the Bible everyday? What if you set aside 30 minutes a day to prayer ... allocate a part of your budget every day for the poor, visit a nursing home, [or] tutor a kid, every day?"
White said that over the years, many students have acquired habits of piety as a result of taking on a spiritual practice during Lent. Though some students are unsuccessful in fulfilling their sacrifices, White said that he advises them to focus on their achievements and the positive aspects of their experience.
"The spiritual life, a life devoted to personal holiness, is like [being] an athlete," he said. "It takes training. If you miss a day, it doesn't mean you can't run the marathon."
White added that keeping faith at college can be both easier and more difficult than observing at home. "On the one hand, your roommates, classmates, teammates, etc., who are deeply ... dismissive of any kind of religious practice could give you the raised eyebrow or a negative reaction," he said, which may discourage some students from keeping their prior religious habits.
"But on the other hand, Princeton is quite unique in the array of religious organizations that get the support of the University. In that respect, you'll be able to find a group on campus [where] you will feel comfortable," White said. "When you're in college, you have the freedom to explore on your own terms. [There's] no pressure from parents or grandparents or the environment you were brought up in as a kid."
Anastasia Oldham '10, who is Catholic, gave up alcohol for Lent. Her friends "thought it was really very funny" and were "very enthusiastic" about her choice. Oldham did not feel that college has affected her level of religious observance. "It's been fine — I have a good amount of fairly religious friends," she said.
Oldham succeeded in her 40 days as a teetotaler and did not find the experience too difficult. "I still went out every weekend and had a lot of fun. It was kind of entertaining watching everyone else [who was drunk]," she said.
"A few friends who are Catholic gave up things," she added. "Meat was a big thing."
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