A place where students are forced to swipe ID cards twice a week, the chapel has become less about worship and hearing the message of chapel speakers. Instead, it has become more of a place that students use to socialize, catch up on much-needed sleep, and play on their phones. Many Christian colleges face this problem and Spring Arbor University is no exception. This article will examine what the true purpose of Chapel is based on which students sit in the back and which students sit toward the front. Through these observations, it becomes clear that the chapel serves the student's needs more to complete tasks than to worship and listen to the chapel speakers. As students walk through the chapel doors, it becomes apparent that many of them don't. I want to be there and look like I have better things to do in my life. Looking around Chapel, it’s clear that many students aren’t paying attention. If someone came to visit us during chapel hours, they would think this is a place where students can take a nap and do their homework. Many students spend time at Chapel looking at their cell phones and surfing the Internet. The reason many students spend time on their cell phones is because they see no purpose in Chapel. Later, I asked several students what message the chapel speaker was trying to convey and many students responded that they weren't paying attention or that the speaker's message was boring. It’s as if Chapel is another class that students are forced to take on campus. The Chapel's seats suggest that it was a large place of gathering and worship, but observation of the activity in the seats shows that this is really not accurate. The seats located at the back of the chapel are the most poorly used. During the chapel ti...... middle of paper ......ion. These students might connect better with the worship service than with the chapel speaker. It's possible that the students sitting in the back rows really enjoy going to chapel, but just don't care to listen to the message from the chapel speakers. Realizing that chapel is more of a social gathering for students rather than a place where students can pray is not a good thing. It's not really meant to turn people away from the chapel. Many students think chapel should be an option, but students would not attend if that were the case. Ultimately, I think it is the students' choice to sit where they want, and as students attending a Christian university, they should pay attention to the chapel speaker. If students choose to do homework, socialize, or catch up on essentials, it only affects them, but through these actions, other students feel like they can get by...