Small Community

One thing I take for granted here at St. John’s is how small the community is. The community here gets very frustrating to the point where you don’t want to see certain groups or individuals. I’m currently on a disciplinary review board that deals with student infractions.
The past couple of weeks we’ve been dealing with an issue that fell out of a non sanctioned college party. This party takes place on top of a mountain behind the school, off campus. The party itself is a re-creation of Moses’s exodus out of Egypt where freshman carry an ark up the mountain with the rest of the student body following behind. As a student, the party is a great way for me to meet other students early on in the year and a great way to bond with other students who understand the fun behind it. From an administrative side, fires always happen at this party and a fire is the biggest danger towards the college since we are surrounded by dry trees. The fall out from this year’s party is a physical confrontation between a group of individuals. What is distressing to people here at St. John’s is that we hardly hear of a physical confrontation on campus.
The disciplinary board held a public hearing last week. The turn out was bigger than I had expected with about 50 students attending. For me, it’s been hard to stay motivated for the issue because I have to deal with it from two perspectives, well more like three if we count the student perspective. I have to discuss the issue as an RA, then I have to discuss it as a review board member. This issue has been pounding me because so many people care about what happened.
I really should appreciate people feeling so strongly about it and want to discuss the issue with me. I may think I’m a good listener, but am I a good listener when I’m tired and worn down? I should also value that people do want to hear my opinion, it shows that I am a part of the community and people seek me out. I won’t be in such a small community when I leave St. John’s.