Regardless of affiliation or year, Greek life has a strong presence for students during Homecoming weekend, according to students interviewed by The Dartmouth. From members of the Class of 2014 experiencing Homecoming in a house for the first time to seniors preparing for their fourth year of Homecoming events, students have varying plans and expectations for the weekend.
Many newly affiliated members of the Class of 2014 interviewed by The Dartmouth said they are looking forward to their first Homecoming as members of the Greek system.
"I'm really excited because it's a new group of people to hang out with and to do stuff with during Homecoming weekend," Abby Cohen '14 said.
Without freshmen year bonding activities and the Greek system, it can be difficult to find social spaces on campus, according Victoria Townsend '14.
"Freshman year is great because you bond with your floor, you bond with your cluster and you all kind of have a sense of place in that way," Townsend said. "When you become upperclassmen, sometimes if you don't have a set group of friends, you don't have a group to hang out with at Homecoming."
The Greek system provides a way to expand boundaries and meet new people before Homecoming, Katie Thorstad '14 said.
"As a sophomore, I feel myself falling into my same group of friends, my same activities," she said. "I forget that there is so much you can only do at college," she said.
Participating in Greek life is a way to build community and create connections, according to Phoebe Racine '14. Because it is often difficult for freshmen women to meet upperclasswomen, the Greek system provides younger women with an opportunity to receive support from their older female peers and to meet "exemplary" women who serve as role models, Racine said.
"I came into this school pretty uninterested in the Greek system, but in my first year, I realized just how unifying it can be," she said.
While some students said they expect to spend time with other members of their houses because of the many Greek events held during Homecoming weekend, others said they hope to see more of their friends outside of the Greek system as well.
"I think that for me, because I have so many friends that are unaffiliated or in a different house, [Homecoming this year] won't be a huge change," Cohen said. "There are people everywhere who I want to still spend time with and be close with," Cohen said.
Greek affiliation does not necessarily define or enhance the Homecoming experience, according to Melanie Parnon '13. In past years, Parton has attended the bonfire with her freshman floormates and plans to do the same this year, she said.
Homecoming is more a school-wide tradition than a "frat-centered" event, Don Casler '14, an affiliated sophomore, said.
"I think homecoming is never the same after your freshman year because it's really a freshman experience," he said. "It's all about the freshmen running around the bonfire and all about welcoming them to Dartmouth. For upperclassmen it's more about tradition, community and remembering everything that this school is about."
Although the majority of Dartmouth students are involved in the Greek system, other students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they do not feel the need to be affiliated to enjoy Homecoming festivities.
"If you want to bond with a bunch of people, just be friends," Jinga Zhao '12, an unaffiliated senior said. "You don't need to give yourself three-letter labels to be close."
Because everyone is invited to parties and social events during Homecoming via e-mail, there is no need to be an official member of the Greek system to participate in the weekends events, according to Pierre Guo '12, who is also unaffiliated.
