Cru sponsored a “What Masks do you Wear” event Wed. at 5 p.m. outside the CDR. This included a table, where students were encouraged to stop by, write on a poster what masks they hide behind, then take a piece of candy and Cru flyer.
“It’s really hard to always feel happy all the time and fine all the time with school and busyness—just a lot of things all at once,” Rachel Massey, ’21, said.
Massey came up with the idea during a servant team meeting because they wanted to do something related to Halloween for campus.
“The purpose of the event was to relieve people of things that hold them back or that they cover up.” Massey added, “similar to how God doesn’t want people to hide, they should be themselves no matter who they are around.”
“The purpose is to allow people to think about and potentially even come to terms with the masks they wear. It was also to bring awareness to Cru and to invite people to our main meetings on Thursday nights,” Sam Watson, ‘19, said.
According to Watson, this event benefits the Witt community because it shows people they aren’t alone and others hide behind masks— sometimes even the same mask.
Hayley Woodbridge, ’19, said “This helps the campus make real relationships and connections by being vulnerable and taking their masks off.” She said people often pretend everything is fine, when it isn’t always.
“I’d say the mask that I hide behind is humor or laughter—some form of that—because it seems easier to just chalk things up to something lighthearted even if it’s not,” Woodbridge said. “It’s just easier to talk about things when it’s funny instead of when it’s hard and kind of crappy.”
“People mask their feelings, obligations and duties,” Massey said. “We wear them to put on a show for others in order to reflect a certain social status, or appearance.”
Woodbridge said “Getting the approval of others is a type of mask because people trust others more than they trust themselves or their own opinion.” However, “People aren’t hiding or fooling Christ,” Woodbridge said.
“We believe that God loves you just the way you are without any masks, so once you identify your mask you can know that if you stop wearing it you will still be loved,” Watson said.
Massey believes people hide behind their social media, while Woodbridge believes people on campus hide behind alcohol.
Students put quotes and other things they hide behind on the poster. Some of the quotes included: “I’m fine,” “I didn’t real care,” “No, I’m not upset” and “I’m straight.” Some of the other things people hide behind included: humor, social awkwardness, concealment and smiles.
Cru also had an online quiz, which told people what masks they wear. If you missed the table and are curious what kind of mask you hide behind, check out the quiz at http://www.ideclarewarbook.com/ quiz/.
If interested in Cru meetings, they meet every Thursday at 8:30p.m. in Blair 201.
