Day Four
Well. . . day four just plain sucks! Most of everything that this guy recommends to obtain more energy has been thrown out the window today. Guess when I am stressed and there is a lot going on things collapse. No exercise, way too much diet coke, no water, and worst yet, it is 8:15 and I am still at work and will most likely be here until 10:00 ot later tonight.
Homecoming is this weekend and in the fraternity and sorority world Homecoming translates to "all hands on deck!" My Saturday is going to consist of monitoring the tailgate area reserved for Greek students, make sure that they are safe and that no one under the age of 21 is drinking. Now come on!!!! I totally agree with the first part of these job duties. I want students to be safe and smart about their drinking and Homecoming festivities. Yet, I did not enter this profession to police and monitor who drinks, who does not and how those under 21 got the alcohol in the first place. This will be the challenge of the day for me.
Also a part of this weekend is interacting with alumni and promoting all of the good things that are going on in the Greek community on campus. So Saturday I get to experience the drunken fest that is homecoming and then in a blink of an eye I get to put on a smile and assure the alumni that the Greek community is moving forward and that they should invest in its positive future by contributing to the Creating Chapters of Excellence fund that pays for my salary and so many other worthwhile events.
At times I feel like a hypocrite. At times I feel that there is little I can do to make a difference in this community. At times I wonder if college students will ever "get" what fraternity and sorority-- at its core-- is really about. At times I think I am this older, out of touch idealist that believes the Greek community can be so much more than what it currently is (if only we lived by our mission and values). At times I think that students really don't want what fraternity and sorority--at its core-- has to offer. At times I think the college students just roll their eyes and tell me the answer they think I want to hear because it is just easier that way.
We will see if this weekend is one of those times.
posted by Lisa @ 8:12 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Rich, you're a mean, mean man. Abandon him immediately Lisa! It's for your own good!
Yeah, I've always thought the policing for underage drinkers thing is a bit over-the-top. When I was in college, the big directive from on high was for the RA's to PREVENT underage drinking -- probably because the university was attempting to avoid potential liability. The unwritten rule became, instead, if you're under 21 just don't carry beer into the halls, and our RA would agree to make himself scarce on hall party nights to avoid a conflict of interest, as it were.
I really believe that it's stuff like this "enforced policing/mothering" that contributes most to underage drinkers getting completely wasted instead of stopping when they've got a pleasant buzz going. I mean, it's the classic "in for a penny/in for a pound" problem -- if you're gonna break the rules, why show any restraint? You're gonna get in trouble if you get caught either way, so might as well go all-the-way.
Just wanted to add that your journal is really going well! It's always fun to see people relax into writing about themselves -- it always takes a few weeks of trying before you can tell that the stories are just sort of happening, and in your own voice as well. I've noticed the same thing with Rich's -- it's really great, and makes me feel a little closer to y'all.
Take care,
Gregg
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