There's strength in numbers

This weekend, a few of my sorority sisters and I packed into my battered Toyota Corolla and headed up I-65 to West Lafayette, swimsuits in hand and Dave Matthews Band blaring. We'd been approached by our house's director of philanthropy a few weeks before and asked to participate in Purdue's Delta Gamma chapter's annual philanthropy, Anchor Splash. The event pits greek houses against one another in relay and synchronized swimming events to raise money for the sorority's national philanthropy, Service for Sight. \nIt didn't matter that my tan had faded in October and I hadn't even thought about a bikini since at least August. I was ready for a day of road tripping and catching up with friends in Boilermaker country. So at 7 a.m. Saturday, I dragged myself out of bed and got ready to put on my flippers. \nWhen we got to the high school where the event was being held, I was shocked. Expecting the usual lackluster turnout characteristic of most IU greek philanthropy events, I was greeted instead by a sea of sorority and fraternity letters, Speedos and swim caps. \nI looked at my teammates, all of whom were expecting a low-key event as well. I hadn't swum since I was six. Were they kidding? This was a competitive event. I had no idea. I seemed doomed to the most public form of humiliation in an electric-blue bikini.\nThe pool's bleacher sections, filled to capacity with girls in Hawaiian leis and sorority letters from each of the Purdue women's chapters, shook under the weight of stomps from representatives from the mens' fraternities carrying signs and beating pots and pans. I could barely hear the announcement of events over the din of rousing chants and cheers. I looked at my sisters, armed with video cameras and readied to immortalize the event on film. They, too, shook their heads in disbelief. We hadn't seen this many greek groups together since Little 5. \nMy point? Philanthopic activities are regarded very differently by our friends in black and gold than on the IU campus. They're important to the majority of greek students. Students from every chapter sacrificed a beautifully sunny Saturday morning to shake things up for a good cause. \nWith the greek system facing increasing opposition and regulation from an administration many students feel would like to abolish the community altogether, it's time chapters on campus begin banding together. We have at our disposal the men and women of the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association -- let's use them to help us get back on our feet. Let's publicize the positive activities and detract attention from the few mishaps that have seemed to mark the greek system negatively. We're more than a bunch of lawless partiers, and it's time we start showing that to the campus, the administration and the Bloomington community.\nGranted, a few of IU's events are exceedingly popular on campus -- take Zeta Tau Alpha's Big Man on Campus, an initiative that garners support campuswide each fall. Yet we as a community must strive to encourage each other's endeavors, either through direct participation, co-funding or simple physical support at events. If we can't party legally on campus, let's do something positive. We may catch the attention of those who count. And we just might have fun together while we're at it.