By Christian Cullen, Staff Writer
I would like to start this opinion piece by saying I am totally biased. In this article, I am going to be talking about Manresa. For context, I have been a Manresa leader for the past two years, so I have a bit of skin in the game on this topic. Hopefully, you will be convinced by the end of this article about my opinion — namely, that Manresa is heavily underrated.
Each year, when we return to campus, there are complaints about Manresa. Hell, we leaders even got a whole post on @BarstoolXU this year about the trials and tribulations of those exhausting four days. People complain about the long hours, post on Fizz about their horrid experiences and dislike the chants that the leaders make, among other various complaints. Some of these are legitimate, and if you had a bad experience with Manresa, that is both totally possible and completely valid. I am speaking less about Manresa proper and more about the theoretical underpinnings of Manresa and why Xavier students should be more appreciative.
Let’s start with move crew. Xavier students get a little spoiled here because this is not something most other schools have. We should be incredibly grateful for move crew, as the college transition is not easy. It is nice to have someone there to help unload your car when you already have the weight of moving to a new place on your shoulders. Yes, it can be annoying, and yes, it can be in-your-face, but the support is there, and that is what matters.
Then there is Manresa proper. You get your small group, go to PlayFair, see Craig Karges and the like. During Manresa proper, you get something uncommon at most universities: One, you get to meet most, if not all, of your incoming class. Two, you get the opportunity to explore campus and learn your way around before classes begin. Lastly, you get upperclassmen leaders who are genuinely there for you. Once again, this is all in theory. Manresa is not perfect, and I acknowledge the negative experiences people may have had with it. However, I think we can still create a better sense of gratitude for what it takes to pull Manresa off and what Manresa is, both in theory and practice.
What grinds my gears is the people who view Manresa as an extension of a summer camp. I understand this complaint as well. The chants give off quite a summer camp vibe, but Manresa is incredibly powerful in ways that a summer camp never could be. “Real World Xavier” gives people a glimpse into the sometimes harsh realities of college.
I am a true believer in the Manresa blueprint. When I first became a leader, I asked my leader from 2021 for advice. He sent me eight paragraphs of advice on being a Manresa leader. I’ll let that example stand for the first years that are unsure if Manresa leaders follow through on their promise when they say they will always be there for you.
I get it. Manresa is a lot, and it asks a lot of both first years and leaders. And it’s even weirder for a former leader to preach from the soapbox about the wonders of Manresa. However, having the perspective of being on the other side of things is helpful. It’s given me a deeper appreciation for Manresa, which I feel we should all have. I think, at the least, no matter your experience or your feelings about it, you can respect the effort the leaders put into their work. If you start there, then I think the rest will follow. And maybe, just maybe, Manresa won’t get as brutalized by Barstool next year as it did this year.
If you’re reading this and considering applying to be a leader, do it! I cannot recommend the experience enough. At the very least, apply for the position. If you don’t get it, life will be O.K. What matters most is that the next incoming classes of Xavier University have the Manresa experience they deserve: a great one.