Community–it’s something that’s talked about quite often at Milligan. The school is known for it’s tight-knit community. In fact, many students said one of the main reasons they chose Milligan was for the college’s strong sense of community.
But what does the buzz-word mean? One definition I found from a simple Google search is “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.” Moving deeper into what that means, another definition for community is “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.”
“A feeling of fellowship.” Some of you may read that phrase, nod your heads and think to yourself, “Yes! That is exactly what I’ve found here at Milligan.” I would venture to say, however, that some of you read about community and immediately get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. “Why don’t I fit in?” you may wonder. “What am I doing wrong?”
If you belong to that second group, can I speak directly to you?
It’s OK.
If you haven’t found your niche here yet, don’t worry.
If this campus doesn’t feel like a second home to you yet, don’t worry.
Now granted, you can’t just hide in your room and expect community to come to you. It takes work and sometimes, it takes time.
But if you feel like you’ve done everything you know to do to find your place and you still feel lonely– don’t worry. Don’t give up on community. It exists and oftentimes, it shows up where and when you least expect it.
So to those of you who rejoice in the community you’ve found here on Milligan’s campus, don’t be afraid to let others in. Keep your eyes open for fellow students who are craving a place where they are fully accepted and loved. And to those of you who are still waiting for that place, I encourage you to keep your eyes open to where community may be showing up in your life– it doesn’t always look the way you think it should.
Ultimately, know that you are on this campus for a reason and you have a place here. Don’t ever feel like you need to change yourself in order to fit into a certain group or area.
God has created each of us uniquely– and it is only together that we make up community.