College is often promoted as an opportunity to break out of the cliques and cliched labels we endured in high school and revel in creating a new identity among a wider circle of acquaintances. At The University of Alabama, however, many of us seem to have become content trading old labels for new ones and using two of the University’s greatest assets – its vast size and plethora of student organizations – as an excuse to create and maintain isolated bubbles of social, emotional and intellectual life.
Before I lose half of my audience, I must disclaim: This is not an anti-greek article. I am a member of a greek organization, and while I think that we are frequently guilty of falling into these bubbles, almost all of campus has room for improvement in this regard. Many of the organizations I have joined or encountered at the Capstone have had the blessing and curse of being their own self-sufficient social circles.
While greek organizations bond through swaps, socials, formals and fried Fridays, non-greek organizations solidify their ties through bowling nights, tailgates, trivia, group dinners and even private shopping experiences. All of these events may seem like harmless fun, and in some sense they are, but if each organization made a point to reach out beyond its members, it could be so much more.
Breaking out of these bubbles matters because it is so much harder to vilify people and groups you know personally. It matters because higher education should push us toward higher pursuits of knowledge, interpersonal skills and cultural understanding inside and outside of the classroom. It matters because valuable information about campus, community, state, and national events and issues gets trapped inside of these bubbles.
It matters that we have endless “yes man” conversations instead of contributing to challenging and enlightening discourses for the betterment of us all.
The good news is this situation can be remedied by individual and collective action. The individual part is the easiest to fulfill. Invite someone you know from one setting to have dinner with a different circle of friends. Take a flip through the pages of this Crimson White or the latest UA or Honors College newsletters and pick out an event or organization meeting that interests you.
Better yet, pick out an event or organization meeting that makes you nervous or uncomfortable, because the more you reach out of your comfort zone, the more you will grow from the experience. On an organizational level, campus groups should make collaborating and developing external ties to other organizations a priority on par with their philanthropic activities.
Non-greek organizations should consider applying for Panhellenic points and contacting executives in NPHC, IFC, UGC, and NPC to encourage greater greek participation in their events. Greek organizations should consider expanding their horizons by selecting non-greek partners for philanthropic cookouts, gift drives and 5k races.
Life inside the bubble is comfortable, safe and content. Life outside the bubble is emotionally nerve-wracking, intellectually challenging and socially just plain scary sometimes, but the rewards to yourself and to society more than justify the risks.
Leigh Terry is a sophomore majoring in economics. Her column runs biweekly.
