By Rhea Choudhary | Staff Writer
Walking around campus from class to class, it is hard not to ignore how much Baylor feels like its own universe. Between weekly Dr Pepper Hour, chapel requirements and a culture where it seems like everyone is either in Greek life or a campus ministry, Baylor builds a tradition-rich environment that feels like a bubble.
While that feels comforting as a freshman, will we be ready to explore communities that don’t look or think like Baylor’s when we leave Waco?
The “Baylor bubble” is a phrase students often use; however, it is not entirely inaccurate. Here, life is comfortable and predictable. You will see the same faces hanging out around Fountain Mall, waiting in line for your Starbucks order for what feels like an eternity and eating an unreasonable amount of cookies in Memorial Dining Hall. That sense of familiarity is what makes Baylor special. Still, it can also be what turns us away from the diversity of thought and experiences that we will eventually face outside the 254.
Take chapel, for example. It is a signature Baylor tradition for students since faith is at the heart of the university’s identity. But in the real world, no boss is going to schedule hours for worship. Workplaces are increasingly diverse, so many may not reflect or even accommodate the faith-centered rhythm Baylor students are used to. For some, that transition might feel like whiplash.
Traditions also play a large role in shaping student life here. From Line Camp and Homecoming to All-University Sing, Baylor has a long list of events that feel like rites of passage. Students feel confined when trying to mold themselves into a box by what they “should” do, such as joining Greek life, attending certain events and being part of specific organizations. Those paths don’t exist outside Baylor and once we graduate, we will have to learn to build and strengthen community without any ready-made traditions guiding us.
This is not to say Baylor’s culture is a bad thing. On the other hand, it is what makes Baylor unique. Yet when we graduate and move to Dallas, Houston, Austin or even to the bustling streets of New York, we will be working alongside many people who weren’t molded at a private Christian university. The question is whether we will be prepared to adapt and grow in that space, or if we have only been trained to succeed inside Baylor’s carefully curated world.
To truly maximize students’ skill sets for the real world, Baylor needs to give us more opportunities to step outside the bubble. That could include encouraging stronger involvement in Waco beyond our campus, offering more opportunities for dialogue across different perspectives or even rethinking how some traditions and requirements translate to life after graduation.
Baylor should celebrate its traditions, its faith and, of course, its close-knit culture. Those things are what’s worth holding onto. However, if the goal is to nurture students who can make an impact anywhere, Baylor has to challenge us to grow beyond the Baylor bubble. Otherwise, we risk being prepared solely for life here and not for the life that awaits us all after we leave.
