I don’t know how many college students out there are anxious to get out into the ‘real world’ but I know one thing, I would give anything to go back to my undergraduate days. Don’t get me wrong, being a so-called adult has its perks but nothing compares to the freedom and carefree fun that you can experience in college. Whether it’s a school sponsored event, Greek Life event, Fraternity or Sorority party/social, or simply going to class you are constantly exposed to new people and new opportunities.
Campus Life at Johns Hopkins University
Striking up a casual conversation with a stranger is something that I love to do but, in my current stage of life, it rarely leads to any kind of friendship. Conversely, while in college, conversations with students that I didn’t know often led to friendships and valuable connections. It’s the sense of community that I miss most about college life. Granted if I walk down the street wearing a Ravens jersey (I live in Baltimore) it can lead to friendly salutations and conversations, but those are merely fleeting encounters. The connection between students at the same university is something that isn’t easily replicated.
Alumni at the Kappa Sigma convention
To me, Greek life is the vehicle through which people can recapture that college experience. Any member of a Greek organization will tell you that membership is not just 4 years, it’s for life. The Alumni that I see at national conventions are reliving their college days. The college atmosphere, and more specially the Greek life experience, is exemplified at conventions. Members from all over the country can bond and create relationships with their many brother or sisters. So while there are some aspects from college that we cannot retain, at least we’ll always have our brothers & sisters from our individual chapters and on a national level.
John Gamble, Marketing Associate