Young People Ask . . .

What About Class Trips?

“YOU get time off from school.” “You see something new for a change.” “You get to know your classmates better.”

Thus did three German youths explain why they enjoy class trips. Such expeditions are quite popular with young people the world over.

However, it isn’t only students who think highly of class trips. “A well-​organized class trip is of real benefit to a youth, broadening his horizons and helping him stand on his own feet,” claims one teacher. “Furthermore, the relationship between teacher and class is strengthened.” There is little question that conscientious teachers and a well-​mannered class can combine to make a class trip educational and enjoyable.

Nevertheless, there may be a number of factors involved that rightly concern Christian youths and their parents. For example, in Germany and other European lands, students of both sexes commonly travel together on lengthy class trips. This frequently involves overnight stays away from home. All too often this spells trouble. Fourteen-​year-​old Anna-​Laura recalls: “After a few days on the trip, things just got out of hand. Even at night we didn’t get any peace and quiet. Most in the class behaved in a selfish and inconsiderate way.”

What, then, should you do if you are given the opportunity to go on a class trip?

Counting the Cost

At Luke 14:28, Jesus Christ said: “Who of you that wants to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense, to see if he has enough to complete it?” Before you and your parents decide whether the class trip is something for you, carefully examine all that is involved. Here are some questions to consider:

Where will the trip take you? Whether it involves a day’s visit to a nearby museum or a longer trip with overnight stays could make a big difference. In addition, if your parents are footing the bill, they will want to decide if they can afford it.

What’s on the program? If each day is well organized with wholesome and interesting activities, this will keep the class occupied and reduce the risk of something going wrong. So take a detailed look at the program schedule before deciding about the class trip. Visiting museums or going on a natural history field trip may be educational. But experimenting with Yoga and Asiatic religions​—as was planned for one class trip—​is hardly appropriate for a Christian.​—1 Corinthians 10:21.

Will there be effective and constant supervision? A 15-​year-​old Christian girl named Julia recalls: “I was in a very well-​mannered class, so Mom and Dad didn’t mind my joining the trip. The teachers watched over us very carefully.” However, such supervision may be rare these days. As one German teacher admits, careful and reliable supervision is “by no means assured.” Indeed, one youth boasted after a class trip: “Once we had outwitted both teachers, we did just as we wanted.”

Some students will make trouble even when teachers do their best to keep them in line. One former teacher recalls: “The youths found ingenious ways of smuggling in alcohol, so searching their rooms was pointless. I realized they were drinking a lot of alcohol when one of the girls began to vomit.” Clearly, it may be very difficult to make sure that a trip will be properly supervised. Yet it may spare you much anxiety and embarrassment if you and your parents check carefully what arrangements have been made for supervision. Says Proverbs 22:3: “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.”

How do your schoolmates generally respond to your teachers’ directions? This will give you a good idea of how they will behave on a school trip. Reportedly, one German secondary school had to cut short a three-​day class trip because unruly students simply ignored “the clear and patient instructions” of the teachers.

A young German woman named Stephanie went on such trips in the past and as a result of her experience recommends asking yourself the following questions: ‘Are my classmates sensible enough to listen to the teachers? Does the school strive to maintain a good reputation? Are the teachers firm enough to provide proper leadership? Do the youths take proper morals seriously? Are they into alcohol and drugs?’ True, Stephanie admits that much “depends upon you as a person, whether you give in easily or not.” But how could you pray that Jehovah ‘not bring you into temptation’ and then deliberately place yourself in a compromising situation?​—Matthew 6:13.

Seventeen-​year-​old Petra thus declined going on the class trip. “I knew what my classmates would be up to,” she explains. “I could see in advance that situations involving alcohol and sex would really put my conscience to the test. As it turned out, five boys undressed a girl and took photos of her, which were later passed around the school yard.”

Will your religious convictions be respected? For example, young Timon, noted: “Often there is a birthday party, which is hard to dodge.” As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he refuses to participate in such celebrations.* Would your teachers and classmates respect your point of view in case a celebration like that became part of a class trip?

To what sort of association will you be exposed? Christians know that God condemns smoking, taking drugs, misusing alcohol, or indulging in premarital sex. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 7:1) That’s why association with youths who practice such things is wisely avoided. (1 Corinthians 15:33) Proverbs 13:20 warns: “He that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” On a class trip, you spend more time than usual with such youths, and this in a relaxed atmosphere. Young Andreas put it this way: “On a class trip, you are exposed around the clock to the spirit of the world, with all the worldly music and obscene talk.”

Another factor is that it’s easy to feel lonely when you are away from home. Class trips have sparked many a teenage romance. Would there be a risk of your becoming romantically involved with an unbeliever? First Corinthians 10:12 warns: “Let him that thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall.” And even if you were strong enough to resist temptation, could your presence on such a trip be a stumbling block to other Christian youths?​—Compare 1 Corinthians 8:7-13; 10:28, 29.

Fourteen-​year-​old Yvonne turned down going on a class ski trip. She explains: “I would have spent a whole week with no one but worldly youths and teachers. On top of that, the companionship of my brothers, the preaching work, and the meetings​—those are things I would really have missed. Another reason was the way most youths behave when no one keeps an eye on them.”

Fully Pleasing God

Since class trips normally do not directly involve religion, politics, or other activities that are forbidden to Christians, a student and his parents will have to decide whether such a trip is advisable. (Compare Isaiah 2:4; Revelation 18:4.) Conditions and circumstances vary from place to place and from one class to another; therefore, Christians in one area may have to contend with problems different from those in another.

“My mother was familiar with the youths in my class and knew the teacher to be responsible-​minded. So the class trip was a success,” remarks Stephan. “But when I got older and the final trip approached, the question of my going along was completely different.” Why? He continues: “Just three years earlier, my classmates had been pleasant and respectable. But drugs and immorality had since become part of their everyday life. So I didn’t join the trip. Incidentally, the final trip had to be terminated before it was finished.”

In the final analysis, though, you and your parents must weigh all the factors involved and make your own decision. Make sure that, whatever you decide, your goal is “to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him.”​—Colossians 1:10.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 25]

What sort of association would you be exposed to if you went on an overnight class trip?