Dear Abe, how do I make friends if I didn’t rush? I feel left out!
Don’t worry! I didn’t rush either. Running up a hill is kind of hard for an immobile metal statue like myself (if I was able to rush I would definitely have gone ΣΑΕ though). There are a few things to remember about the Greek life process here at Centre. First, you are always able to COB (Continuous Open Bidding) to get into a sorority/fraternity after the formal rush period. Second, just because all of the people you were spending time with are now in a Greek house doesn’t mean that you cannot still be friends! I am close friends with the ΣΑΕ lion sculptures even though I never pledged.
The majority of fraternity and sorority events occur on Friday and Saturday nights, so if you are looking for ways to spend your time during these days I would heavily recommend looking into clubs and activities. One example is the SAC events which regularly occur on weekends and offer some fun for students not involved in Greek life. Oftentimes, there is a distinct group of students who attend these events who also aren’t in Greek life, so I would recommend going to one of these events and trying to connect with others who are there. If the weekend SAC events aren’t quite your speed then I might suggest opportunities such as the Outdoors club and Film club.
They both have regular meeting times and contain a strong mix of different students, the perfect environment for making new friends.
Making new friends, especially at this time of year can be incredibly difficult, it requires perseverance and willpower to talk to people who feel like strangers. But it can be incredibly worth it to ask the acquaintance from chemistry if they want to get a meal with you. If you want direct personal support with this process of forming friendships, please stop by the Centre Learning Commons! They can provide you with the personal support and resources to turn your Centre experience from boring to remarkable. You can contact them through email at clc@centre.edu or schedule an appointment via my favorite Centre college application, Navigate. Just remember, if I can write an advice column with metal hands, you can surely reach out to others. As I so often state, “I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”
Does anyone run the flame in the snow?
Oh, absolutely! I see people persevering to run the Flame no matter the weather. In the snow and ice, I see people slip and slide their way around the Flame. Sometimes, they even fall over into the snow and have to get back up to continue the challenge. Rain and mud isn’t a deterrent, either. You’ve seen the muddy footprints leading from Breck to the Flame, haven’t you? There’s your evidence of some brave soul getting dirty for a dare.
Of course, if you are planning on running it, please aim for a warmer or drier night—and I’ll know if you do. I may not run as a statue, but I keep an eye on my fellow sculptures (luckily for you, the Flame can’t talk like I can).