If you were to eavesdrop on conversations around campus, you would be hard-pressed to find one where APU-friendly buzz words aren’t said. From words of affirmation to prayer requests, there are few places at APU where encouragement isn’t freely given.

In fact, Niche, a college website, ranked APU as the 11th friendliest college campus nationwide in 2014.

“I feel like it was one of the reasons I came to APU,” agreed junior finance and accounting double-major Austin Swift. “When I visited APU and walked down Cougar Walk, I could feel the love between people and God’s presence.”

APU’s action-packed freshman experience—beginning with the Alpha and APEX program, freshman dorming, RAs and general education courses—provides first-year students with a welcoming atmosphere and a flurry of activity almost every day.

“I loved my freshman experience in 2nd North Trinity,” stated Neal Gockel, a junior business management major. “My RA got me plugged in on campus, and there were cool people on my hall.”

However, in light of movements on campus, such as Activate, Haven and other groups that told the campus community they were overlooked, the question must be asked: Does APU’s culture reach everyone? Is it truly welcoming of all? And is APU’s friendliness always completely sincere?

Ariana Sanchez, a senior social work major, described the flip side of APU’s campus culture that doesn’t make her feel welcome given her previous experiences.

“I think there is a lack of community as well,” explained Sanchez. “It is easier for the predominant culture to feel more comfortable at APU than others. I personally do not come from a Christian background or from a privileged community, which makes it harder for me to connect with those who do.”

Sanchez raises an excellent point. When surrounded by a foreign culture, one can easily feel like an outsider, which can make the overt friendliness that APU’s culture encourages come off as fake or only on the surface.

This becomes a problem when this surface level friendliness can be easily misconstrued as insincere if it’s not backed up by intentional actions. This ‘friendliness’ could dangerously become a mundane action that is done simply to be done, without personal regard for others.

This is not to say that students intentionally look to ostracize others. This may simply be a harmless miscommunication between people who express friendliness in different ways.

However, when it comes to our actions, we must remember that people’s reception are as important as our intent.

Genuine friendliness goes much further than smiles and ‘how are you’s.’ We must be conscious of each other’s diverse experiences and strive to be intentionally friendly to one another, not out of obligation, but out of genuine love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.