An Outsiders Perspective to Greek Life

Hollywood movies and even music today depict college life as full of partying, drinking, random sex, and very little studying. While some may say that is far from the truth, my experience in college so far has actually been very close.

Inspired by Asher Roth's video, I Love College

Not to say I am not studying does not take up a bunch of time, but for most students, other things take priority.

The big party scene at most colleges is created from the Greek life. I am not apart of a fraternity, but many of my closest friends are part of the greek life, so sometimes I get a sense of what goes on. Now I attend a smaller university where everyone knows everyone, so I think that joining a fraternity or sorority at a small school really losses the closeness they brag to have. Most of the parties are open to everyone, and there is always new people around.

At larger universities, I fully support joining these groups. Many of my friends attend schools that are part of the UC system, schools that often have more than 35,000 students, so joining these groups are important to meet people that are more like yourself.

Two things I would like to say about Greek life:

1. Good in a large setting; however I think that it creates special clicks as one may find in middle school, with no room for so called "rando's" to be a part of.

2. These do serve important roles to students with connections and overall friendship.

As if Phelps on pot wasn't enough

When one hears the name "Alex Rodriguez", thoughts that come to mind may be, high baseball salary, divorce, and a certain pop star. Much like all of the great athletes of our time, there my have to be asterisk added to any statistic A-Rod has.

SI.com dropped an article citing 104 MLB players who tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003 when the league was deciding if random drug screening was needed. Apparently, they were right. 

SI.com wrote:

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.

When approached by an SI reporter on Thursday at a gym in Miami, Rodriguez declined to discuss his 2003 test results. "You'll have to talk to the union," said Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman since his trade to New York in February 2004. When asked if there was an explanation for his positive test, he said, "I'm not saying anything."

 Luckily for A-Rod, penalties for steroid use were not imposed until 2004, so A-Rod is safe from any legal action, for now. A-Rod has been free from such scandal for so long, probably because of actions of Barry Bonds, but the truth is that we really have no legit players in any sport now. It seems that everyone is tainted, and being the best you can be really means, being the best I ought to be with extra help.

Phelps on the Bong

As I was bored one day watching TV, I came across the women of the View discussing the images that have been published of Olympian taking a hit out of a water pipe.

The first question I suppose I have is, Who Cares? 

What people do not realize is that although Phelps is an athlete, he is still a basically a child at heart. He won olympic gold, he is not an ambassador to anyone, he is not making any difference in anyones life, he is a only a swimmer.

Phelps only smoke pot as it is. It isn't some performance enhancing drug that even affected his task in China. I actually feel bad for the guy. We have made him such an icon in our eyes because of the way he can move his body, not his mind. 

Who hasn't done something illegal? What most people do not remember that he is only 23 years old. Because of the of huge spotlight placed on him now, he is seen as more of a celebrity rather than an athlete. After the 04 games, Phelps was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. I am afraid he is tumbling into the world of Paris and Lindsay.