During my process of selecting a college, I had deliberately chosen Dartmouth for its small size and  rural location.  Regarless of the cultural and recreational options that I knew such an environment would lack, I was excited about participating in a social atmosphere that revolved around students and the campus.  When I arrived and found that the campus's "social atmosphere" was largely based within fraternities and sororities, however, I began to be skeptical, because of previous Greek stereotypes that I had observed in medea and heard of in rumours.  I was also intimidated by my first experiences with the Greek system, where those controlling the social space already knew each other, and I knew few people even from my own class, and certainly none of the affiliated upperclassmen.

     Then I was brought to a Greek house one year later by girls who had become my closest friends.  I decided to investigate the "scene" again and re-evaluate.  After enjoying the company of not only those whom I knew, but also the welcoming, affiliated strangers I met, I continued to visit that house, in addition to other houses, since that day.  For the first time, I began to feel as though there was a constant social space, where I could find friends and comfort, regardless of changing housing locations, classes, and off terms, all of which had created disjunctures in relationships and my sense of place at Dartmouth. 

     As soon as joining a house of my own became a possibility, I remained skeptical, though. I was not sure what sororities were like, and although my new experiences at fraternities were positive, my former negatives stereotypes persisted as I approached another unfamiliar Greek situation.  Immediately preceding rush, however, I began to befriend two girls from my house who were natural, sweet, and genuine.  This immediately began to reshape the assumptions with which I approached rush, and once I participated in it, I chose to join my house.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and as new pledges entered the living room for the first time last night, I realized that I had progressed from their position to a position of complete familiarity and closeness with my house in the course of one term.  Last summer when I visited the campus to do research, I ended up wandering and feeling displaced, as I had few upperclassmen with whom I could feel comfortable staying.  Such an experience of unsettledness and uncertainty will never recur on the campus again, as a result of the Greek system. 

     During the time that  I have been a member of a house, I realize that there are elements of the system, such as rush, that need correction.  But renovation at Dartmouth does not lead to the razing of Baker Library -- improvement does not need to be accompanied with a complete revocation of traditional institutions.  I am confident that the Greek system, a strong and positive answer to the need for social spaces at Dartmouth, can be strengthened by the people who are in the system and the new members who enter it.

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