Tuesday's BlogFest Theme: Community
When you hear the word "community," what does it mean to you? Do you feel like you are part of a community? I think the vast majority of us can say that we belong to some form of a community, even if it's just our own families. I see two different types of communities in the world: 1) our geographical communities; and 2) our identity-based communities.
Many geographical communities start for us individually with our own families. There's less of a choice involved in the community to which you belong when you're a young child. We learn so much about the way we relate to the people around us as children. And hopefully, the communities we're born into are thriving and loving. Psychologically, I would argue that what community means for us is greatly impacted by those first years of life. The next natural step within geographical communities involves the connections you make with friends in the local neighborhood and elementary school. It's that first level of independence you reach. These are usually very small inter-sparsed communities that you connect with and/or create. And perhaps that's why, at least for me, aside from a nostalgic feeling, I never had a strong, lasting connection with my neighborhood or my elementary school. The difficulty with geographical communities, in my opinion, is that they're usually quite temporary (aside from family, of course).
That's why I appreciate identity-based communities that much more. You have a personal stake in them because you made the decision to enter into these communities based on a common interest. Maybe it's a personal hobby that connects you to others - playing chess, intramural sports, or in my case genealogical research. Perhaps it's a professional realm that sparks your passions - like student affairs, teaching, or law. It could be a religious institution or spiritual group that brings you that sense of belongingness and wholeness.
Ah, but then we start venturing to the idea that some geographical communities (like a local church) merge into identity-based communities. I think those are the strongest type of communities - the ones that form part of your identity and encourage you to stay connected.
So one might ask, is an institution like Bridgewater State University a community? Without a doubt, I'd exclaim, "Yes!" On two levels, it is most definitely a community.
Firstly, people who live in the town of Bridgewater would refer to BSU as a community. And the ways in which we individually act reflect upon the community's reputation as a whole. As a conduct hearing officer, I see cases where students have violated a policy off-campus and ask why they're being held responsible within the university's conduct system if their actions didn't take place on campus. It's because we are all members of this community. As a Resident Director, I understand that this is a place I chose to work at. And it's important to me to do good, positive work - and not just for my own reputation, but for my department's reputation and the university's reputation as a whole. When student organizations (and professional ones, too) engage in service in the surrounding communities, it creates a larger bond of positivity. And when one engages in the community, it becomes more than just a geographical community. It becomes that second level of community - an identity-based community, one in which you're more likely to connect with even after you graduate.
This infusion of geographical and identity-based communities, for me, is exemplified so well at The Ohio State University where I was a graduate student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program from 2001 to 2003. Some of the best communities do a great job putting together symbols of community that are easily carried with you even when you leave their geographical areas. Ohio State (I'll forgo using the mandatory "the" in front of Ohio State for the remainder of this blog post) is associated with the buckeye. A buckeye is essentially a poisonous nut. Don't read into that too much, though. The point is that as a matter of great pride, I love saying that I am a Buckeye. It's an identity I can take with me wherever I go.
If I see a random stranger, say at Boston Logan airport, with any form of Ohio State gear on, I know that if I chant, "O-H!" I can expect to hear an "I-O!" right back from them (unless they're not a true Buckeye... in which case they'll look at me funny). But for that moment of time when that legendary "O-H! I-O!" is chanted between people, there's an immediate feeling of community. It'll get you to think of about where you came from, what you took with you, and what you can do to continue making an impact in the world.
That Buckeye identity is also exemplified when four get together to spell out OHIO with their bodies. As this video shows, "It's an expression of community for Buckeyes everywhere." Love it!
Consider how you can embrace your community. As one of the Bridgewater State University Bears, in what ways can you contribute? Perhaps it's being a student leader. Maybe it's playing a sport. You could be behind the scenes - literally - for a play. Whatever it is that you do, I think you'll find that engaging in your community and doing positive things will BUILD community. And it'll be something you can look back on whenever you eventually leave this institution and think, "I was not just a part of that community - I helped create it."
You can follow Mike Goodhart on Twitter at @mtgoodha.
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