Updated 2/22/12

It’s quitting season on campus.

Late winter can be a difficult time of the year for our ministries.

Not just because of the cold weather, seasonal depression and a general lack of interest on the part of most students towards just about everything…

But because this is the most likely season a student leader will choose to walk away from their leadership responsibilities with our ministries.

There are likely a number of factors that will go into this decision for any given student, but here are the top 5 reasons student leaders are most likely to walk away from their roles in our ministries during this challenging time of the year:

1. The ministry is harder than they expected — The first half of the academic year was a period of adjustment, a time of experimentation, a chance to try on the position (that they had likely applied for sometime last spring) in the reality of the ministry context.  At some point during that first term it’s likely that some of the challenges of ministry in that context began to present themselves… but the student leader was willing to step up and face those challenges head on… especially knowing that the Christmas break was not far off.  While the Christmas break could have served as a good time of refreshment and renewal, returning to campus in January, and stepping back into all of the ministry challenges that they had left, could have served to quickly chip away at the resolve and determination they had built up in order to finish out the year well and fulfill their commitment.  At this point, when push comes to shove, there’s nothing left for them to stand on… so they quit.
2. They’ve over-committed themselves — Our students are “doers.”  And our student leaders are often the “extreme” doers.  They love to be involved in a multitude of things… and while they may have been able to carry the load through the first half of the year, early in the 2nd term is when their commitment load tends to catch up to them.  Feelings of being overwhelmed often lead students to reduce their commitment load to the bare minimum — which typically only includes academics and relationships… and not much more than that.  And so their leadership role with us is one of many casualties of burning the candle at both ends.
3. They’ve been wounded — Students leading students provides so many opportunities for growth and formation… but it can also be a place where painful wounds are born.  Sometimes the wounds come in more passive forms — like their peers not showing up for an event, or feeling unprepared to answer a peers question; but it can also come through more active forms of confrontation, exclusion or even persecution on the part of their peers. Passive or active, these wounds can cut deep and leave student leaders feeling hurt, confused and disillusioned. And so, in order to stop the pain, they quit.
4. They’ve hit a low point spiritually — Students, just like everyone else, are on a spiritual journey.  And often, during the college years, students are faced with ideas and issues that call into question what they believe — and our student leaders are not exempt from this process.  To add to this challenging mix, student leaders often believe that because they are leaders they cannot share their struggles publicly — fearing it will make them appear unworthy of holding their leadership position.  So they struggle in isolation.  And rarely do students win wars fought in isolation.  Out of feelings of shame, guilt and embarrassment they quit.
5. They’re not being invested in — Student leaders are leaders-in-training… and therefore must be treated as such.  These leaders are still being formed… and need to invested in… consistently.  Student leaders know this, and are not likely to stick around if they aren’t being poured into.  Having student leaders as a part of our ministry is not just about multiplying the leadership front.  It’s also about having a group of committed students who can be trained and equipped to do what we do.  In order for them to perform in their unique leadership roles they will need be poured into… intentionally… and consistently. When this doesn’t happen, student leaders quit.

You can probably see how some of these realities might feed into others… making a student’s desire to quit all the stronger.

And while most of these reasons for quitting are ones we could likely help our students process through; they need to know that if they come to us — we are available, willing to listen, and able to suspend judgment.

If we can do our part… it will make it easier for them to do theirs.

Before they quit.

Is there anything you would add to this list of why students are likely to quit on you?