Here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, we take pride in cultivating a healthy and safe environment for our Greek life organizations to thrive in. There are many negative stereotypes revolving the Greek system, and some of them may have been true at one time or another--but on our campus, we hold high ideals about how we treat ourselves, our peers, and the larger community. On Thursday, October 20th, the new members of the Greek community began learning about these higher values through a night of information regarding how to keep themselves, their friends, and the larger community safe with Greek 101.

The presentation, which was attended by all the new fraternity and sorority members, started off with a performance from the comedy troupe The Phallacies. The all male group tackled important issues in our culture that could potentially lead to violence among students, such as unhealthy relationship patterns and outdated gender roles. At the end of the night, a group with a similar purpose entitled the Not Ready for Bedtime Players also performed. In both instances, a lighthearted twist was given to a very serious message, and the new members were able to view the subjects in a way that was both memorable and informative.

Presentations were also given by the University of Massachusetts Police Department, volunteer student firefighters who were also members of Greek life, and Student Legal Services. In each case, audience members were given information about how to protect their rights, keep safe, and foster good community relations. In between all the action, trivia was played to both inform and entertain everyone; free giveaways were thrown to those brave enough to speak. At the end of the night, free dessert was given to those who wanted it in the Cape Cod Lounge--and everyone walked away more confident in their ability to keep safe and happy here at UMass, especially within the Greek system.