Becoming a member of the Greek community here at Wittenberg University was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I love getting to spend time learning and growing, as a student and individual, alongside my sisters and forever friends. I know they will always be there for me in more ways than one, and I have never felt so welcomed in my life. A great example of this is our participation in Greek Week.
What is Greek Week, you ask? Well ... it a week where all the Greek organizations compete against one another in various competitions. At Wittenberg, we start the week off with an opening ceremony and inspirational speaker (Shout-out to this year's speaker, Jeremy Poincenot, you were on fleek!), and then we finish the week off with a Lip Sync and Greek God/Goddess competition. Most of these events were meant to be fun and not bring any stress, but who doesn't get competitive? I know I certainly do.
Greek Week is about the bringing together of all the fraternities and sororities. It is meant to be about unity, teamwork, and even some sacrifice (we all know we should be studying during all the practices and events, but oh well). Even though it is meant to be about those things, it doesn't always come about that way. Teams make it more about themselves. We turn towards fighting, arguing, and doing anything it takes to win. Each team comes to resent and turn away from the others when really we should be turning towards them. We should be breaking stereotypes, not proving them, right?
Greek Week is not meant to be something to stress you out. It is supposed to be a stress reliever. So instead of complaining about scores or the time commitment for lip-sync practice, look at the positives. Greek Week isn't about winning. It's about becoming stronger as an individual and member of the Greek community. It's about accepting others and their qualities for who they are, not what others think of them. It's about making your own opinions about your teammates instead of going in with a closed mind. And finally, it is about having fun! It was a chance to have a couple nights away from your studies to let off some steam, dancing your heart out, and making a total fool of yourself. So why not take advantage of it?
Why do we let life and society get in the way of who and what we want to be? Take a chance to let your light shine in everything you do. Be accepting, let others have their victories, and just have fun.
Greek Weeks will come and go. The time spent in a sorority or fraternity will come and go, so enjoy it while it lasts. Don't be resentful because you didn't win. Remember, no matter the letter, we are all Greek together.
