In case you all didn't know it, the previous week was Greek Week. It is a seven-day celebration to bolster support both within and outside of our fraternity and sorority system. It is a week where your letters don't matter, and the community itself puts the trivial nature of rivalries behind it to focuses on the brotherhood that makes us all unique.
For those of you who attended the Greek Week festivities, you will agree the spirit of greek life on Ball State's campus has never been stronger. At the opening ceremonies in the Field Sports Building, nearly every chapter was there - all getting along, all being greek, all having fun.
My question is simple: Why do we treat everyone respectfully and equal for only one week? Competition is one reason. On the intramural fields, I recommend you talk your smack, play your game, and then leave it on the field. For the juvenile idiots who dislike an entire fraternity because their football team beat yours, grow up or shut up. Either way, I don't have to hear your voice.
Outside intramurals, though, there really is no reason why we cannot all peacefully coexist. I have friends in nearly every other house on campus outside of my own, and I firmly believe it adds to the fraternity experience to make bonds outside of your own letters.
For those of you who chose not to compete or participate in Greek Week, I am sorry for you. You missed a good time, culminating in last night's Grand Chapter, where the best of the best were recognized for outstanding service, academics, athletics and an above-average sense of personal commitment to the greek system. If you chose not to participate, shame on you.
While the spirit was good and participation average, it is nice to see chapters get recognition for the hard work they do. It is sad that a year-long commitment to excellence deserves only a week of events and thank yous.
For those of you in chapters who won Greek Excellence Awards, athletic trophies or scholarship cups, congratulations - stay dedicated, stay on top and continue to push your members to be better than average.
For those of you in chapters that left Emens Sunday night with nothing to show, the problem is not in the Interfraternity Council office or in the administration. It's inside your house.
Whether you succeed or fail is entirely up to you and the rest of your members. It is a personal choice to be the best. It takes hard work, dedication, and commitment, and there are those in the greek system here who need to work a little harder.
They need to make themselves a little better, and then we can warrant more respect as a community than a week-long celebration.
Write to Alan at BSUgreek@hotmail.com
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