“The most profound thing about the Ignatian day is most likely just better understanding the process of addiction and how it works.”
“Presented with the destruction that addiction can cause, it gives you a whole lot of perspective on the whole issue.”
On February 28th, the student body of Jesuit completed this year’s 3rd I-day, which was about the physical, emotional, and social effects of addiction. This Ignatian day tackled the tough topics that aren’t easy to talk about. By pairing scripture with student voices, the I-day covered nearly every aspect of addiction.
What did Jesuit’s student body think of the Ignatian day?
A mixed bag, student responses ranged from “a waste of time” to “a truly beneficial experience.” On the less enthusiastic side of things, one student thought that the I-day was “mechanical.” He explained that “the few who complete them just go through the motions. Check the boxes. Read the articles. I see they mean well, but it ended up being just another meaningless Google survey. Complete emotional detachment is my takeaway.” However, students like this noted a more meaningful side-effect of the I-day: talking with teachers.
For one student, talking about these issues in the classroom was much more effective. “He actually shows interest in us and cares for us. In his eyes, we are so much more than just his students. We have real, stimulating conversations and he doesn’t ever force anything upon us. The respect and compassion he shows us makes me far more inclined to care about the issue and follow his advice.”
While for some, the I-days are simply a day off of school, others felt this past I-day was very helpful. “There were a couple things about addiction that I didn’t know before such as the different stages that addicts go through. There are a lot of factors involved in whether you’ll get addicted or not.”
Others echoed how “it was a worthwhile experience because I really was able to learn about addiction in depth through multiple examples. I was able to understand the impact of addiction better and how to avoid it. The articles in the I-day helped me understand and learn more about the topic of addiction.”
One student connected the school message of being empathetic to the I-day. “I find the science behind addiction particularly fascinating. It allows you to empathize with those who suffer the greatest from addiction.”
In Conclusion
All in all, the I-day was well received and seemed to have impacted the students in different ways as they thought and discussed issues of substance abuse and addiction.
Be sure to participate in this week’s Ignatian day on Wednesday, March 28th. This I-day will further discuss issues of substance abuse.
