Making Time and Place for Holidays

April is a significant month for students of faith. Muslim students celebrate Ramadan, Jewish students celebrate Pesach, Hindu students celebrate Ram Navini, and Christian students celebrate Holy Week and Easter. Collectively, we know these times as “holidays.” Just under the surface of that word, you can see the underpinnings of “holy” days.  

Celebrating these holidays may come with some mixed emotions for your student. Some students may feel a little homesick, wanting to celebrate the holidays in familiar surroundings. Others may be interested in experiencing how a roommate or a loved one might celebrate a different holiday. Others yet may be trying to work out plans for celebrating the holidays in Tallahassee.  

Students at Florida State have a variety of options when it comes to celebrating these holy days in Tallahassee. Members of the Interfaith Council (an organization of religious professionals and faith communities that have committed themselves to campus) will have a variety of religious programming available for students during this time.  

During this time, the Interfaith Council encourages families to reach out to their students around these holidays. It is important for students to know that their decisions are supported by their family, even if those decisions mean not celebrating an important holiday this year or celebrating a different holiday with a friend. It is also helpful for many students to hear that the celebration of these holidays is important to their family. Often students will take the lack of a conversation about a holiday as permission to ignore it or to see it as less important.  

To connect your student with available services and communities, please visit interfaithcouncil.fsu.edu. While you are there, you will notice several different faith groups with contact information. Don’t see your specific faith tradition? Not a problem. If you reach out to Rev. Jay Winters ( jwinters@fsu.edu ), the Interfaith Council will gladly connect you to some options that might exist in Tallahassee even if they are not on the Interfaith Council.  

We wish you blessed holy days this April!