I was rather surprised and startled the other day. I went to dinner with a friend from high school who also goes here. As we caught up about the new things going on in our lives, we got on the subject of if he was going to rush or not. He told me a story how he and his friends on several occasions have attempted to get into a fraternity house, and were rejected the the door for not wearing Polo or LaCoste shirts.
The older people said that dressing up was a sign of respect. However, what if it is not someone's style to wear this preppy attire? Is it really fair to turn someone down at the door, refuse to give them a chance, simply based on what they are wearing?
By no means do I consider myself as one of those people who is greatly opposed to the Greek system or finds a way to out them, however I do find it very ironic that an organization promoting brotherhood and unity has the audacity to reject a group of people based on their clothing.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Will We Ever Grow Up?
Do you ever wonder if we actually grow up after kindergarten? I mean, of course we all physically change, however, lately I have noticed that maybe we aren’t that different after all.
Remember in Kindergarten how the class room was always separated by sex? All of the girls would giggle on one side of the rooms as we observed the boys who attempted to show off for us. But then now take my Wellness class. As college freshman you would think that we would be able to successfully integrate, however the boys and girls still sit on the opposite side of the room. Just like the playground.
I have also thought about this concept on a deeper level. And it actually helped me figure out more about where I wanted to go. If you think about it, maybe who we were when we were that young, is still the core of who we are today. But amongst all of the hectic parts of our lives, and through the hussle and bussle of daily living, it’s easy to lose sight of that pure innocent person we once were.
I realized this the summer before last, where I spent a month in Europe hiking. The walking drained the group of students that I was with so much, that as we climbed through the Alps we only had the energy to think to ourselves. And through this time to myself (which was way too much thinking time) I tried to recount for who I was when I was that kindergartener on the playground. I remember that I always loved to explore. I loved adventure and discovering the unknown. And what was I doing at the moment? Exploring. Even though I grew up in an environment where exploration was literally in my back yard, I had never acted upon it and lost sight of that part of myself.
So maybe we all aren’t that different after all. Maybe we should get back to the carefree person on the playground.
Remember in Kindergarten how the class room was always separated by sex? All of the girls would giggle on one side of the rooms as we observed the boys who attempted to show off for us. But then now take my Wellness class. As college freshman you would think that we would be able to successfully integrate, however the boys and girls still sit on the opposite side of the room. Just like the playground.
I have also thought about this concept on a deeper level. And it actually helped me figure out more about where I wanted to go. If you think about it, maybe who we were when we were that young, is still the core of who we are today. But amongst all of the hectic parts of our lives, and through the hussle and bussle of daily living, it’s easy to lose sight of that pure innocent person we once were.
I realized this the summer before last, where I spent a month in Europe hiking. The walking drained the group of students that I was with so much, that as we climbed through the Alps we only had the energy to think to ourselves. And through this time to myself (which was way too much thinking time) I tried to recount for who I was when I was that kindergartener on the playground. I remember that I always loved to explore. I loved adventure and discovering the unknown. And what was I doing at the moment? Exploring. Even though I grew up in an environment where exploration was literally in my back yard, I had never acted upon it and lost sight of that part of myself.
So maybe we all aren’t that different after all. Maybe we should get back to the carefree person on the playground.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Post Secret
I have a ritual. Every Sunday, for the past two years, I eagerly log onto www.postsecret.com . (Yes, it is actually a blog!) Each week, new “secrets” are displayed. Everyday people send in their deep secrets to Frank, where on this website he posts these raw, dark, and often-humorous confessions ordinary people. I find myself so drawn into these artistic post cards where people present their secrets. Often times, I think to myself “Oh me too! I feel the same way!” when I read some of the postcards. Other times, these secrets can scare me, and I think about the people who sent them in. But even though the “secrets” can be haunting they still have something that you cannot always find; and that is the pure honesty that they portray.
This blog has even brought me closer to one of my friends. Ironically, I kept it my secret throughout high school that I read this website weekly. I mean, on the surface it does sound a little weird, right? However, on a morning coffee run together, she casually mentioned some website “Post Secret.” Evidently, I was shocked and excited that someone else read this site. We even went as far to admit that we both felt like we were the only ones who read it. As we sipped our warm lattes, we ended up talking for hours about our favorite post cards. The ones that had haunted us, or the ones that made us laugh so hard we cried. I never thought that reading random people’s secrets would draw me so close to another person. But now, she is apart of my “ritual” as well, because each Sunday when we have read that week’s secrets, I know that I will hear from the person who enjoys these confessions and the unconventional honesty that the website portrays as much as I do.
This blog has even brought me closer to one of my friends. Ironically, I kept it my secret throughout high school that I read this website weekly. I mean, on the surface it does sound a little weird, right? However, on a morning coffee run together, she casually mentioned some website “Post Secret.” Evidently, I was shocked and excited that someone else read this site. We even went as far to admit that we both felt like we were the only ones who read it. As we sipped our warm lattes, we ended up talking for hours about our favorite post cards. The ones that had haunted us, or the ones that made us laugh so hard we cried. I never thought that reading random people’s secrets would draw me so close to another person. But now, she is apart of my “ritual” as well, because each Sunday when we have read that week’s secrets, I know that I will hear from the person who enjoys these confessions and the unconventional honesty that the website portrays as much as I do.
College: Summer Camp or Life?
This whole thing doesn’t seem real to me. I feel like I have been on vacation or at some academic summer camp this past month. I don’t know if it’s the abnormal heat or the southern draw that people have here, but somehow this place doesn’t quite feel like home yet. I never thought that I would end up in Texas-actually that is the last place I thought I would be. I feel like I’ve had an extended sleep over with my roommate, and shortly I will return home to my queen size bed. That’s not to say that I am not enjoying myself, in fact I love it, but I feel lost the majority of the time. I think that it’s because I have no sense of direction, and right when I think I know where I am, I am actually on the opposite side of campus. At home I always know that west is where the mountains are, therefore I generally know my way around. Speaking the mountains, that explains the title of my blog, “3-oh-3.” “303” is the area code of my hometown, but this blog is supposed to be anonymous, so I guess I’ll let you figure out where that is.
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