By Darius Davila | staff writer

Wednesday, February 13, the Catholic season of Lent began bringing with it a series of personal adjustments and individual resolutions.

“I gave up being mean for Lent. In other words, I’m trying to be more nice to others and appreciate all the stuff other people do,” sophomore Maria Andrade said.

Those who participate in Lent do it for reasons that go beyond religious purposes.

“I’m not as religious as some people may be, but I still have faith and I think about it like if Jesus did it for me than I should do it for him. It’s primarily a Catholic thing, but anyone is free to try it,” Andrade said.

There have been different views concerning the origin of Lent, but some say that it dates back to the time of Jesus’ life.

“Basically the origin of Lent is that Jesus went into the desert and did not eat or drink anything for forty days and the devil tempted him during his time in the desert, but Jesus resisted,” junior Alexa Bell said. “So ever since then the forty days leading up to Easter we sort of give up something to become closer to God.”

Bell feels that the true practice and purpose of Lent has lost its meaning.

“I think Lent has become very commercialized, the goal of Lent is for it not to just be a seasonal thing, but it’s supposed to be life lessons and changes. It is a humbling experience, it’s a chance for you to stop and ask God what you can do to become closer and have a deeper relationship with him,” Bell said. “In a nutshell, it is like sacrificing to become closer to God, it’s suppose to imitate what Jesus went through in the desert.”

For Lent one is supposed to keep what they’re giving up confidential.

“For Lent I gave up sweets, but when we do Lent we aren’t really supposed to ask what others gave up. It’s supposed to be personal between you and God,” Bell said.