Current Release: April 28th, 2009 | Vol. XXX Iss. 10

Jaci Downey

Greek life from the outside

By Jaci Downey

I was once told in high school that I was not a sorority type of girl. I never understood what that meant, and wanted to join one when I came to VWC. After getting to know the girls I was very interested but decided not to rush because I did not have the money to join if I was asked to. Now, after being at the school for my third year, I am happy that I made the decision not to go out.

Knowing a lot of girls who are involved, I think they’re great, but it’s not for me. I’ve been told on certain occasions that I’m “one of the guys,” and I don’t think I could deal with the extra drama a sorority brings. It’s not like sports teams don’t have drama, but I can’t be fake and call people my friends who really are not. I know that not every girl likes her “sisters”, but I would not pay to part of an organization where I would not get along with the girls.

Also when you are not in a sorority, you have no clue what the sorority does. All I see around campus are poster s saying, “I love my lil sis.” It’s good that they support each other, but I would like to see Greek life more involved with campus life.

Alpha Sigma Alpha does Mr. Wesleyan every year, and I think that is a great event. I would join ASA just to help organize Mr. Wesleyan. The reason why Mr. Wesleyan is such an exciting event is because it involves other students besides Greek life. I know Phi Sigma Sigma does the Rock-a-Thon, but it’s the only sorority. The way students can be involved in this event is to pay money while they watch people rock in rocking chairs. I understand that it is not the duty of sororities to get students involved in their functions, but to draw people in; I would appeal to students besides recruitment week.

The main reason I am not in a sorority is because they live in the dorms. After talking to Kristen Whalen I found out that to get campus to build Greek houses the halls in VIII designated to Greek life must be filled with all of the sorority on that hall to prove that housing is needed. If I was in a sorority I would make sure I lived on the hall to ensure housing. Plus, if there were something like a “Greek Circle” with houses for each fraternity and sorority student would be begging to join.

I know that since I am not in a sorority I have no right to talk about them because I do not know everything that Greek Life does, but I can see that administration doesn’t try to promote it on campus. I am one of my only high school friends not involved in Greek Life and I know if I went to a big school I would have loved to be involved. But when it comes to this college, Greek Life is not what I imagined.

Who knows, I might go out and see what they have to offer in the spring, but my advice is to reach out to the non-Greek students and if you make it look appealing, I know there will be a hundred girls going out for recruitment week.