"It's time to stand up for the women around you - literally and figuratively. This is a time for the women on campus to come together and realize that they are not alone in the struggles they face."

The sentences above were the main idea of an event that was held at my school, Anderson University, last week. This event was a powerful, thought-provoking one, to say the least.

I went in o this event not knowing what to expect. I knew that it was called Stand Up For Your Sister, and I knew I was able to get a CEP (Cultural Experience Program) credit for attending. That was about it.

It was held on a Sunday night, and after getting back to school after a weekend at home, I really didn't have anything else to do. Why not go to this event? I'm so glad that I made the choice to go.

Now you may be thinking, what exactly did you do there? Why did you think it was so great?

Here's what the event was. All of the women on campus were invited, along with some faculty and staff members as well. We sat in one of our small auditoriums/theaters on campus and were welcomed with a short message from our Dean of Student Development, telling us that she and the other faculty members there that night weren't there to be authority figures, but to be sisters in Christ. Then we found out what we were actually going to be doing. Surveys were to be passed around to each person in attendance. We were to fill out the survey (it was anonymous of course, no names or anything) and then they would be collected. Sounds easy enough, right? Just a little survey...

But this wasn't just any survey. This survey asked a lot of hard questions, ranging from eating and body image, to relationships with guys, to family issues, to drug and alcohol issues...you get the point. Issues that college females may face, but that may be hidden.

After having some time to circle yes or no to these questions, the surveys were collected and then shuffled, and passed back out. So we were all given a survey that another girl in the room had filled out.

Then comes the whole idea of "Stand Up For Your Sister." We were told that the questions would be read, and then if you were given a survey that had that specific question circled as a yes, to stand up. We started going through the questions, and immediately I was shocked, saddened but also hopeful at the same time, due to the amount of people standing up for each question. It was sad to see that so many people have been through such hard things, but it was comforting to know that no matter the struggle, no one was alone. It was also comforting to see that people were vulnerable enough to circle yes on their surveys. I know for me, there were questions where I was like, "Oh, I am definitely not circling yes for that!" when in reality, the question was definitely applicable.

There was not one question on the survey that no one was standing up for, and there were multiple people standing up for each question at that. Even the questions that were more difficult topics, dealing with problems such as rape and abuse...people were standing. The fact that my college is a Christian university also made it powerful. As Christians, we so often think that we can't struggle, and if we do, we have to keep it hidden. There were issues listed that are stereotypical issues that "Christians shouldn't struggle with," but yet here we were...people standing. This contributed to the whole point of the activity...everyone has struggles.

There were even questions where Every. Single. Girl. was standing up.

Looking around on the questions that I had circled yes for... struggles that I've faced in my life... was comforting to know that I'm not the only person at my school who has gone through that trial.

I'm telling you about this event not just to give a summary of something neat that happened here at Anderson, but to say that you're not alone. No matter what you've gone through, what you are going through, or what you will go through in the future, there's someone out there who can relate to you. There's someone out there who can come alongside you and encourage you. No matter how hard it is to believe, you are not alone in your struggles. It's never fun to go through something hard, and it is never fun to think that no one else can understand. Speak up. Share what you're going through. You never know who will be able to relate.

And no matter how uncomfortable struggles in this life can be, it's comforting to know that you are never alone. And even if you do feel physically alone, God never leaves your side.