Greek Week is beginning and many non-Greek students may feel excluded, but there are still ways to participate throughout this week.

“From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it” is a common phrase used by Greeks but also by Ceci Brinker, the director of Student Life.

Brinker, who has been involved with Greek Life for 27 years, said she wants non-Greeks to participate in Greek Week as well.

“I think Greek Week is a very good opportunity for non-Greeks to see the Greeks showcasing their community,” Brinker said. “There’s a lot of school pride; if non-Greeks want to take a closer look at what the Greek experience is like Greek Week is a great way to do that.”

Brinker said she would compare Greek life to Eastern’s athletic teams.

“It’s very well put together and our Greeks do a lot of good things on campus,” Brinker said. “It’s an experience unlike any other.”

Sororities and fraternities are not doing anything different than the other organizations on campus that are celebrated and embraced for the variety they bring to our campus community, Brinker said.

For almost every event, the community is allowed to be in attendance, Brinker said.

“Not every student on this campus is going to want to be a part of the Greek system any more than every student on this campus goes to a football game,” Brinker said. “They have choices.”

Courtney Raupp, a junior health studies major, was a part of Eastern’s Sigma Kappa sorority, but left and does not hear about the Greek Week events anymore.

“I loved it when I was in it, but this year I plan on just having fun,” Raupp said.

TJ Doyle was a part of Sigma Nu, but decided to leave the fraternity as the week of events got closer.

“(I left because) I didn’t want to go (to) Greek Sing this year,” said Doyle, a junior communication studies major.

Doyle said he has work and school and this year he just did not have the time to do everything Greek Week entails.

Abby Witte, a senior clinical laboratory major, said Greek Week is fun, but she thinks Greeks could do more.

“I feel like they should be doing something more for our school instead of just putting on a singing competitions,” Witte said.

Nike Ogunbodede can be reached at 581-2812 or ovogunbodede@eiu.edu.