When I applied to Dartmouth I knew it was in Hanover, not Manhattan. When I applied to Dartmouth, I knew there would be mountains in the background, not skyscrapers. When I applied to Dartmouth, I came to wake up to the sound of Baker bells, not police sirens or honking horns. And, when I decided to attend Dartmouth, contrary to Scott E. Jacobs' opinion expressed on Feb. 5 in "College's Policies Defeat Their Goals," I knew that Greek life was the campus' predominantly chosen social option, not clubs or bars.
I chose Dartmouth because it distinguishes itself from other schools by focusing on the school as a community for social options rather than a surrounding city. Dartmouth students enjoy a wide spectrum of activities which encompass all of us on campus. From hiking together on D.O.C. trails to working together on rings in the Claflin jewelry studio, we have all been touched by other members of the Dartmouth community. If I had gone to school in Boston, Manhattan or Philadelphia, I would have sacrificed the Green-blooded cohesiveness that I cherish in the Dartmouth community. Granted, I have a car, and can occasionally "escape" Hanover. However, my expeditions are few and far between the weekends I spend at Dartmouth. In fact, I rarely use my car for more than errands, and, although I am a sophomore, it is not parked in A-lot.
I came to Dartmouth to enjoy its rural surroundings. I am sure many other students came to receive the same "Ivory Tower" education. When else will we be fortunate enough to live in an environment which affords us the opportunity to focus on one another and our community? For the majority of us, this is a once in a lifetime chance. Most of us will live in cities and suburbs, surrounded by chaos, not by the intimacy of which we grow fond during our years in the Dartmouth community. In addition, there is the element of safety provided by the "Hanoverian Bubble," which allows our cohesive social lives to be interconnected and contained within a safe and comforting community.
Despite its geographical isolation and limited access to urban resources, Dartmouth has still created a social culture oriented to the demands of any collegiate community. Just like any other college, there are places to dance, plays and movies (although not new releases) to see, and places to just drink a cup of coffee and talk with a friend. All of these social opportunities, and many more, are open to us as Dartmouth students. However, just as many college students at urban schools go "clubbing," the majority of students at Dartmouth go "fratting."
Think about this for a moment, even if you are an occasional "fratter," and not one of the approximate 1600 Greek members, how much do you pay to attend fraternity, sorority or co-ed events? The answer is probably nothing. While Greek members pay dues to sponsor these social events, most students can enjoy the service of these social events for free.
This is not the case at other schools. In urban schools, you would be forking over more than $20 a night to go out on the town. In most cities that would be barely enough to gain you entrance to the hottest club. Once you are inside, you will probably have to tack on an additional $20 or $40 if you want to drink. Last but not least, hopefully you have some spare change at the end of the night; you do not want to walk back across town to your dorm at 3 a.m..
At other schools with Greek systems, houses often charge admission. I am not talking about bringing a canned good for charity, but shelling out five dollars at the door even if you just want to dance. Thus, Dartmouth Greek life is a free social option, with or without alcohol, for a community-oriented campus like our own.
Not Dartmouth, but the students have provided us with one predominant social option. For the most part, this option has been accepted by the majority. However, there are other possibilities outside of the Greek system. Given the bright and creative student body at Dartmouth, do we need to rely on the people at Parkhurst to create alternative social options for us?
While I believe the majority of Dartmouth students are happy, suggestions like lowering the drinking age or allowing more cars on campus will not improve campus life. The only solution is to maintain the open door policy which supports creative options that students may explore outside of the Greek system.
