A Hillsdale student can’t deny that there will be an obvious contrast between Greeks and Independents at a campus this small. About 40 percent of campus, or 600 students, are Greek here — more than enough to affect the student body significantly. Any incoming freshman can not help but feel slightly overwhelmed.
I certainly was. Not understanding much about Greek life prior to Hillsdale, I wondered whether it was for me, and whether I would miss out if I didn’t join. The question that bothered me most, however, was this: What would people think of me if I don’t join a sorority? Lacking knowledge about sororities, I let these fears occupy my mind. As a freshman, I already had friends in all three houses, and I feared that if I didn’t choose one, I could miss out on a good opportunity to nurture some incipient friendships. My title of “Independent” became a barrier between me and those I cared about. When many more of my close friends began to choose houses this year, these feelings of fear resurfaced. I felt isolated, and I couldn’t understand their reasons for joining. To make matters worse, I received bids from multiple houses, which I chose with difficulty to turn down. I already had made a decision to stay independent in college — yet, having the opportunity placed in my hands, I second-guessed myself. Not too long after my decision, I learned my not joining one house had personally hurt its members. I was already feeling emotionally sensitive during the season of informal rush, and this set off a train of bitter feelings that arose from insecurity, guilt, and fear of the opinions of others.
Not too long after, a friend who recently became Greek received a negative response from a member of a house she didn’t join. She, like I, was already taut from deciding to join, and this response hurt her. She wished others would respect her decision and value her.
Then, it hit me. The problem was not whether it was right or wrong to go Greek or stay independent. It was not an issue of what house is the right one to join. The real issue was the failure to respect another human being. I felt disrespected for choosing to stay independent. My friend had felt disrespected for choosing a particular house. Most of all, however, I felt all the while I was subtly and internally disrespecting others for decisions in both areas.
Greek or not Greek, we are all people with intrinsic value. Our power to choose makes us human. As such, we will differ from each other in numerous ways. A decision that seems logical to one person may not make sense for another — and that’s okay. While some things in this world are arguably black and white, others are not. Each of us must make choices daily, and there is not always an easy answer. Because of this, no one should assume that the way she feels about any situation — especially Greek life — is how everyone should feel. This is impossible to expect when no two people have the same mind. These differences, however, should by no means separate us as a campus. No matter what the differences, our value as human beings given to us by God through our free will will always connect us. What would happen if we as individuals, instead of instantly ostracizing a person because she either went Greek or didn’t, appreciated their power and freedom to think for themselves and make that decision? It is then that we as individuals would learn to value our fellow man. Who knows? Maybe this is the first step in reaching the virtue that Hillsdale urges its students to attain.