Going to college may be the first time that you are spending a significant amount of time away from your family. It can be hard adjusting to this new normal, where everything is different. Between new schedules, friends, classes, and extracurriculars, college can be overwhelming. Being away can also make it hard to follow your Native traditions. But don’t let this new world keep you from staying connected to your culture. Here are a few ways to follow your Native traditions at college.
Choose a School that Supports Your Native Identity
Technically this should happen before you get to college. Choosing a college that supports your Native identity is incredibly important. Check to see if the schools you are interested in have student groups or organizations that celebrate Indigenous culture, provide culturally safe spaces, or host relevant cultural activities in a meaningful and respectful manner. Learning about these opportunities before attending can help you to feel more supported and excited about joining the community. It will also reassure you that you’ll be able to follow your Native traditions while on campus, as you know the school is supportive and already has resources in place.
Include Others in Your Traditions
Your Native traditions are special and unique, and not everyone may be fully aware of the traditions that are important to you. Be open to talking about your traditions with friends and members of your college community. College is a wonderful time to learn about various cultures, and sharing traditions can become a great way to bond with others in the community. You may also find that including others in your traditions (when appropriate) can help make it easier for you to follow these traditions while at school.
Find Events in the Larger Community
While your college may provide support and offerings related to helping you follow your Native traditions, you may find that you want more, or need something slightly different. In that case, don’t forget to explore the larger communities around your campus. These communities can provide additional opportunities to connect with others who support your Native traditions. You may find you’re able to get involved with these communities, allowing you to stay connected to your culture in ways that are meaningful to you.
Use Social Media
In today’s digital world, social media can be a great way to help you follow Native traditions while at college. Through social media you can stay connected, and make new connections, that can help you follow your Native traditions. There are a number of social media groups dedicated to helping Indigenous members connect and share their traditions. You can upload videos and blogs, leave messages, and participate in chats and online meetings. These sites can help you follow your traditions when and where you can — something that can be very helpful as you navigate college life.
Make New Traditions
We know your Native traditions are important to you, and they should be! But being away from home and in a different environment may mean that your traditions look slightly different. That’s OK. Be open to shifting the way you celebrate current events or holidays. You may also want to create new forms of your traditions. These could be simply for when you’re at college, or something you continue after graduation. Either way, as long as you are staying true to yourself and your Native culture, the traditions will follow.
College is an exciting time, but it can be difficult to figure out how to honor your Native traditions while immersing yourself in your new environment. Before choosing a college, take the time to understand which schools could best support your Native traditions. Once you get to campus, share your traditions with friends and connect with the larger Native community through social media and community events. In doing so, you’ll make sure that you can continue to follow your Native traditions while at college.
On Topic
Rene Begay, MS, MPH, Diné (Navajo), University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
What Native traditions do you follow at college? Why is it important to you to keep those traditions alive while you’re away from home?
As an Indigenous student, it is important to stay connected to family, friends, and your community whether you’re attending college for the first time, returning to campus, or just taking some classes to find your niche. Obtaining a college degree is not easy, nor does it get completed overnight. Therefore, it’s helpful to continue or start the traditional practices that you can lean on when things get difficult. Since I am Navajo, my first instinct is to reach for my corn pollen and pray in the morning or whenever I need guidance, protection, or hope. I bless myself and provide an offering to the Creator and pray. Prayer in this case can be whatever you are feeling or want to express. There is no wrong or right way to pray — as long as it comes from your heart and mind, it is valid. I encourage you to carry with you a token or sacred item that has similar meaning for you.
Another way I like to stay grounded is to burn cedar; however, there are other items such as sweetgrass or sage that may hold the same meaning. Cedar is used during ceremony to bless oneself or others. It is used to connect one with the creator. Just smelling the cedar helps bring me back to earth and places me back with my family. In this instance, it is natural to pray or to just meditate, focusing on the things that you want or would like help navigating. Perhaps you need motivation to study, confidence before an exam, or courage to step back into class and learn.
It is never too late to start learning how to pray for yourself or about your culture’s traditional practices. You can count on your traditional ways to guide you on your educational journey — no matter where you are in life. Simply practice what has been passed down to you. If you need help, seek out other Indigenous students and ask if you can participate in their traditional ways. Leaning on others for support can help ensure that you stay connected with Indigenous ways of knowing, even if it is not specific to your tribe. Ultimately, even if you do not have a traditional practice, you should know that you are a sacred being who is connected to everything around you.
I was taught from a young age to stay balanced emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. This can mean so many different things. I learned that these things do not have to happen daily, but rather they can be spread out throughout the week. Try to stay physically active each day, whether it is by walking, biking, or just walking the stairs to class instead of riding the elevator. Take some time after a test to reflect on your accomplishments and tell yourself that you deserve to be where you are. It is important to talk with family or friends to express how you feel. Maybe you could do some volunteer work with a local organization. And be sure to take some time for yourself to read or journal.
You cannot be everywhere and do everything while in college, but it is the little things that add up. Whatever you decide works for you, I hope it brings you balance and harmony.
