For most Appalachian State University
students going back to school means new classes, new books, maybe
a new place and hopefully the meeting of new friends and the greeting
of old ones.
For the Greek community it means all of these things as well, but
above all it means Rush. Well, it used to mean Rush, now it means
scramble. Scramble to figure out how we are going to not only survive,
but persevere to come out better than ever after so many changes
have been thrust upon us.
Changes such as the sudden announcement of deferred Rush in effect
this semester, a new Greek advisor, and a new Greek dorm. However,
our greatest challenge has always been to defend ourselves against
the stereotypes that fly in every direction as soon as someone sees
us in letters or a function T-shirt. Yes, I admit, there seems to
be a definite look to sororities and fraternities.
You can’t tell me that a girl in Rainbow flip-flops, cuffed-up
jeans, sunglasses attached to Croakies, some sort of collared shirt,
hoop-earrings, and now the latest, a Vera Bradley bag slung over
her shoulder, is not possibly a sorority girl-and no, I am not denying
the fact that I may own some of these things.
Looks can be deceiving though. Sororities and fraternities are not
about just money, and they are not after freshman or potential new
members to get into their wallets. More than likely they are looking
to make their organization stronger, just like any other organization
would.
Deferred Rush has to be looked at as a positive thing because we
are stuck with it and we have to make the best of it. It will give
freshman a chance to see what Greek organization is right for them
and hopefully they will join for the right reasons and have better
GPAs. When I rushed in the fall of 2000 I was hoping to find girls
who wanted to be as successful in college as I did, so I chose to
go Greek. It has taught me more leadership, organizational, and
people skills than I could have ever hoped for, but that’s
just me, and being Greek is only a small part of me.
So, I wonder do people that see me on campus typecast me as the
typical sorority girl? But then I must pose the question, what is
a typical sorority girl? Should those who have chosen to go Greek
hide the fact in order that they may avoid the obligatory, “Oh,
you’re a sorority girl,” or “A frat boy, I should
have known.”
The average income of the parents of Appalachian students is $80,000.
There are only about one-thousand Greeks. So if people chose to
think that we are all stuck-up rich kids, they are wrong. The money
is not within us. It seems to be within a larger majority and we
are most certainly a minority on campus.
The money that we spend on Homecoming, tail-gating, and functions,
yes, some of it does come from dues. However, we do not search out
any potential new member by what they have in their wallet.
We search out new members on the basis of what they have in their
heart and their heads. Cliche and on the verge of corny, but it’s
true. Rush is tough. The sororities get so competitive and divided.
However, there is a definite possibility that deferred Rush will
create, gasp, unity among sororities.
I wish the best for the freshman. Keep an open mind. Remember those
words. The choices you make freshman year will follow you through
college, whether it is the grades you make, the classes you chose,
or what Greek or non-Greek organizations you become involved in.
Freshman are the future of Appalachian and you have the power to
listen to or ignore stereotypes. When all is said and done we are
all the same. We are all here to get a degree and educate ourselves,
so start now. |
