Hi everyone
Kind of just a rant but I am 20f, grew up secular but became religious a few years ago, I am in a modern orthodox community but would describe myself as on the more right leaning end
I recently started at a secular university as a transfer student so I will be here for two years and I’ve been having trouble. I feel like I am lucky in that since I became religious I’ve rarely experienced faith challenges but ever since orientation I feel weird. Not with my relationship with hashem but in day to day mitzvot. I’ve always loved tzniut and thought of it as part of my personal style but since I started here I feel frumpy and unfashionable and ugly. I love keeping Shabbat but I am making new friends and I have non-Jewish roommates and they keep asking me to do things on Saturday or Friday night and I feel weird and antisocial for explaining I can’t. I just don’t feel like I belong and one other thing is that this university has a very large anti Israel movement and I feel like people just look at my appearance (some people can guess from the tznius outfits but I do wear a Magen David and will not take it off) and seem to perceive me in a certain way or walk on eggshells around me. It’s only orientation (I’ve been here awhile because I was taking summer classes) and protests have started, although small, and I feel like anti Zionism/opinions on Israel are kind of a social litmus test if someone is recognizably Jewish.
Sorry to sound like a downer, maybe I’m just whining about insignificant things. I am lucky that this college has a large Jewish community and plan to be involved (events haven’t really started happening yet) but the social pressures still exist as an overall minority on campus. Does anyone have any advice or reflections on your college experiences beyond go to Hillel/Chabad? I’m starting to wish I transferred to YU or something
submitted by /u/chaya613-
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Source: Reditt