What do you think of when you hear the word Easter? Easter is one of the most important holidays there is in the Christian community. Christians celebrate Easter because it was Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. As many of you know Kentucky Wesleyan College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Many students here chose to come to Kentucky Wesleyan for its known religious affiliation and views. This makes the college experience just that much better.

This past Easter here at Kentucky Wesleyan, we, as students were given the opportunity to have that Friday before Easter Sunday off which is known as ‘Good Friday’ and that following Monday off giving the students a total of four days off. This was helpful especially for those students who live further away from home than your typical 2-4 hour away students.

What is unique about Easter is that people have different ways of celebrating this holiday. For example, some families may travel to their aunt’s or uncle’s, some families may stay home and have a tradition of going to the movies on this day, and some families may not even have a specific tradition that they do. Easter always brings back great memories with the family. My Easter tradition with my family is that we go to Church on Good Friday. Luckily IU was playing North Carolina that night, so we went to the early church service. Then Saturday we have a cook out or family dinner depending on how nice it is outside. Then Sunday we have an Easter brunch and head to Church. My mom is part of a liturgical dance group so she was performing that Easter Sunday and we as a family were able to go and watch her.

Let’s take a look at some students here at Kentucky Wesleyan and their traditions that they have with their families.

The Panthers and their Easter Traditions

Erin Dorn: “Eat all different kinds of food, including tacos, ham, cheese, chips and salsa, fries, hamburgers, and salad. Then we will sit down and play different kinds of cards games along with a huge Easter egg hunt at the end.”

Jennifer Walker-Crawford: “We go to Elkart, Indiana to my aunt and uncle’s on the river and eat and hang out and then go on a boat ride if the weather is nice. So that’s fun. Then we always watch basketball if it is on.”

Sydney Morabito: “We go to my grandmother’s house and play football if the weather is nice outside. This year it was beautiful. We have a huge Easter egg hunt and we have a feast with all different kinds of foods.”

Erin Wilson: “ I spend the day surrounded by my family. We start the day by everyone in my family going to church and then we usually go out to brunch. Come home and open our baskets and gifts and go for Easter egg hunts. Play outside with cousins and neighbors, and eat the usual ham.”