You might have noticed students around campus this week clad in greek letters eating Marvin's at nauseating speeds, running across Bowman Park with eggs poised on spoons clenched between gritted teeth or practicing stepping routines.
This practice of seemingly bizarre events has been deemed Greek Week.
Over the course of five days, the greek community is said to come together to essentially celebrate itself, all while encouraging first-years to join in the spectacle.
While in theory it is a nice way to bring together a campus often divided by letters affixed on (or missing from) its front doors, Greek Week seems to be experiencing an identity crisis.
First, we must point out that the four of us are members of a Panhellenic chapter on campus and as a result have a biased perspective. That being said, we must say we are confused at what the purpose of Greek Week really is.
In years past, the week of events has encouraged competition between chapters, with each chapter competing for itself. In other years events have coerced unity amongst Greek chapters.
This year the week presents a hodge-podge of competitive events that promote unity amongst the four or five chapters on one of four teams, while dividing the Greek community as a whole.
We are confused about what the various Greek councils as well as Campus Life and Community Development are trying to achieve.
Sure, all Greek students who attend the events are united by the bow-tie emblazoned white T-shirts that the councils give out free of charge, but beyond that there seems to be little bringing the groups together.
Whether for better or for worse, greek chapters are often self-absorbed and are more interested in working to prove themselves against all other chapters rather than cooperating. Hence the popularity of the Greek God and Goddess dance competition.
While we appreciate the initiative of those trying to unite the greek community, we worry about those who are left out in the process: independent students.
As a campus that is over 60 percent Greek, independent students don't always appreciate another reminder of the fact that they represent a relative minority on campus.
So while it is entertaining to participate or watch chapters go head-to-head this week, we wonder what makes this week different from all other weeks in the school year.
