Autumn is here, and things are quiet around Grounds. Now, in the last few weeks of the semester, the work is flowing and the stress is building. Inevitably, the social scene takes the back burner to long hours in the library.
In response to these endless hours of work, it only makes sense to look toward a less time-consuming yet just as gratifying way to procrastinate -- the Greek Directory.
So, grateful for the recent distribution of the Greek Directory, many students have made it their newest obsession. In essence, the directory has become a staple of mid-semester madness for many a student.
The newest Greek Directory lets us check out Who's Who in the Greek World.
Produced with the help of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, the Greek Directory is published each year and distributed to fraternity and sorority houses in October.
Fourth-year Commerce student and current DKE president Steve Dutton explained the process.
Each summer, the Greek Directory needs a student to sell advertising spots to local restaurants and stores for the upcoming fall directory, Dutton said.
In response to this demand, every summer a DKE brother volunteers for the paid position and remains in Charlottesville to set up the advertising deals.
Upon returning to Grounds for the fall semester, Dutton compiles composites and rosters for each house, using weekly Inter-Fraternity Council meetings to get in contact with other fraternity presidents, he said.
As for sorority composites, this year Dutton was aided by fourth-year College student Cahill Zoeller, president of the Inter-Sorority Council.
Once Dutton has collected all the composites, rosters and current phone numbers, he coordinates the project with the editors at the Greek Directory. In turn, DKE usually receives a $1,000 donation to be distributed to a charity of their choice.
Then the directory is distributed to members of the Greek system for hours of engrossed perusal.
So why is this little book so exciting?
Just as "First-Year Faces" quickly becomes the must-have of all first years, the Greek directory is as desirable as Ralph Lauren Polos, Rainbows or an invite to the coolest fraternity's party this Saturday. A necessity for Greeks, it has also become a highly prized guide to Greek Life for non-Greeks.
A great way to track down a guy from last weekend's endless rounds of parties, it also is the best way to find out exactly who that cute guy in Political Theory 101 really is.
Second-year College student and fraternity member Peter Kemp was excited about receiving his copy.
"I think it's fun," Kemp said. "It's neat to see all your friends, and if you see a girl on Grounds and you're like 'Oh, she's cute,' or even if you just see a face over and over, you have [his/her] number."
One problem is that most Greeks end up hating the picture that ends up in the directory. Some don't even bother to retake their picture year after year. After all, it could get worse.
Second-Year College student and sorority member Lauren Ellis definitely had a bone to pick with the current Greek Directory.
"I have something against the directory -- they make everyone look [bad]," Ellis said.
To these Greeks it seems unfortunate that practically the whole University world can find that picture. Worse, that many students, although they deny it, check out the directory regularly.
So why else do people check out this book so often? Maybe you're desperate to see who pledged what house. Maybe you just search through the directory in search of anyone who could be potential crush material. With an extensive list of phone numbers -- excluding certain houses that choose to be unlisted -- the Greek directory also provides students, in particular those who are Greek, with an opportunity to track someone down.
And depending on how desperate one is, he or she may attempt to use this Bible-like book to find the perfect date for his or her next date function, semi-formal, formal, etc.
Second-year College student Emily Smith, a non-Greek, does not agree with this pick-a-date philosophy.
"It's kind of stupid," Smith said. "You're not going to look through the Greek directory and see someone's phone number and actually call them. I don't have anything against it. I don't really see the point of [the directory], but you still want to look at it."
In addition to the possible irrationality of finding a date among the pictures in the pages of the directory, some houses don't list their phone numbers at all.
While the lack of phone numbers may pose a problem to some, others claim the unlisted numbers are a non-issue.
"I don't really see why they have phone numbers anyway," Smith said. "I would hope that you would know the number of a person in your house, and for other numbers you can use the University phonebook."
Although it may not be used regularly to find dates, it usually isn't collecting dust on a lone bookcase. More likely, it sits close by -- maybe on a desk, or even a bedside table. Either way the directory often is in easy reach -- in case curiosity sparks.
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