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Many students often complain about never being able to find some peace and quiet during the day. But at Principia, that shouldn’t be an issue. Quiet Time, which occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 to 11:20 a.m., is set aside for everyone to pray for the campus community as a whole. Tuesdays from 10:50 to 11:40 a.m. is when the CSO’s testimony meeting occurs, and Thursdays during the same time is usually dedicated to a Christian Science talk.
However, Quiet Time might be used for a variety of purposes.
Many students find Quiet Time to be a good period to squeeze in a midday nap or to finish up homework before an upcoming class. While some students are filling their Quiet Time slot with other activities, freshman Victor de Castro said, “I didn’t even know there was a Quiet Time until a month into school.”
Senior Larry Patterson enjoys his Thursday Quiet Times with the men’s basketball team. “We get together to do an inspirational talk session to keep our minds metaphysically focused for the season and for that week, he said. “Getting together and doing that helps us strengthen the morale of the team.”
Even some students who do participate in Quiet Time are unaware that the purpose is to pray for the campus. “I don’t think people use it for the community because I don’t think they know that’s why they’re supposed to be using it,” senior Abigail Blatt said.
“It’s definitely a continuing education,” Ferguson resident counselor Dan Schneider said of Quiet Time awareness and purpose. “It’s easy to slip into thinking it’s time to just read the Lesson, but praying for the community is bigger than that.”
Many students at Principia, if they do take advantage of Quiet Time, take the time for themselves. And on Tuesdays, many head to Org to get something out of the service.
When students were asked if they thought some of the people who attended Org just wanted to be seen, all answered with a confident, “Oh, yes.”
“It would be great if we could create a community of people who are growing spiritually because we want to better ourselves from a spiritual standpoint,” Blatt said, “and not because we felt guilted into it or because it’s the social event to attend and be seen at.”
Schneider had a few short words to say about Org: “Don’t just show your face, but show your love.”
Blatt added, “If we could spread awareness about what Quiet Time is really about without making people feel uncomfortable, then people wouldn’t feel like they are ‘doing it wrong’ [praying for the community] and then they might want to contribute.”