I consider myself to be extremely blessed to attend the school that I do....there's lots to do here....and yeah....I've been grieving pretty much non-stop. It will end soon.

My new pal and I have spent a lot of time together over the last few days....doing stuff and studying. I did pick up some spools of ribbon in school colors and clips and fabric markers so I could make custom hair bows for us to wear in our hair and put our names and class year on the tails for the homecoming game next weekend.....start of a cute tradition.

I guess that I really, really craved ritual and traditions and being part of a greater part than just myself and lots of volunteer . I saw that as only being representative of GLO's...at least until I tried looking at things through a different light.

And who knows....I might end up being invited to join a community GLO somewhere down the road. This just isn't the time for that.

Did I offend you?

You have missed part of what I was trying to say... there is no "fraternity that is Nevada" no matter how badly you want there to be. I am sorry, but that is just the truth.

Ree-Xi's advice was perfect and very well stated. Greek letters just are not required to be special.

Nope, but I find it ridiculous when people feel that they have to "translate" every dang organization into Greek letters.

Let's say that a bunch of moms get together and call themselves "Mu Omicron Mu". Does a mother-support group really need to have Greek Letters and call themselves a sorority?

That's all I am saying. It shows that you are trying to fit something else - in this case, being a student fan of your sports teams - into a Greek box. Doing this isn't moving forward. It's keeping you stuck in one place.

And I'm sorry, but a paddle with the Greek "translation" of your school's initials isn't going to be well-received by many people. Many sororities haven't used paddles in decades, so it's something that most people are not going to understand anyway.

I still wish you luck. I just think that you need to sit back and take things in, and enjoy experiences as they happen.

Have a good night.

I feel beyond offended....very much so. Perhaps my offense is misplaced...but to me.

The Wolf Pack is more than just a sports team. Period. The closest school that has a similar (and probably older and more Nationally recognized) culture is probably USC (California).

Okay, I agree that being a member of the Wolf Pack is not a Fraternity....but it's more than just a school or a sports team. The insinuation that being part of Pack Nation is just a sports team is what offended me. Ask any other Nevada student or alumni/a and they'll tell you pretty much the same thing.


To me (and some people who are even more of "Bleed Silver and Blue" than I am and I'm not quite there yet.) we live by the creed "We are NEVADA".

It's hard for me to explain this: UNR students in general don't say "I go to UNR." We say "We're part of the Pack Nation" or "We are Nevada" or "We live in Pack City" and it simply isn't a school or a college or a University....it's beyond that. That's not just me saying that....then again many people in Northern Nevada especially are fiercely proud of the State and its Flagship, some to the point of idolatry, I think. (which isn't cool, in my book)




PackPride could probably explain this better than I could because I haven't lived in Reno all that long and she definitely has. I don't know why the school culture is like this....it's just been that way for as long as I can remember as a child and I heard of it even when living FIVE HUNDRED MILES AWAY. I moved to Nevada from another State for the sole purpose of working long enough to get residency to attend Nevada. I'm from California....which has some of the top schools in the Nation including in my hometown. There was a reason why I chose an Out of State University and left all that I knew in California and put in the year for residency. It was the only place that I felt was MORE than just a school....it's a way of life.

I've thrown the idea of paddles and letters out the window. It's not my place to attempt to use them for any reason.

I'll update the thread if I am invited to membership in a Community GLO in some time in the future....but I'm going to put it on the shelf for now. Just wanted to say that.

Then if that is so special, why would you want to change it (or rather, piss on it) by trying to give it Greek letters?

Penn State has a very famous cheer that you've probably heard...WE ARE...PENN STATE. No one has ever felt the need to change it to "Pi Sigma." Those four words say it all.

If your school is that rich in tradition and heritage, saying "I am part of the Wolf Pack" should be enough. Unless it isn't. But if it isn't, don't offend those at your school AND those in Greek orgs simultaneously.

I get that you're new to UNR (aside: I don't know if you're from NorCal or SoCal; regardless, you should have had some exposure to various college cultures, but then again, perhaps not). I get that you're jumping into college life. I get that you're really disappointed that you were not selected for membership in a GLO.

What I don't get is the zealotry you're expressing and espousing, and the infatuation bordering on obsession with Greek life. It's incongruous with your stated age.

Don't tell me that what you're describing (or attempting to articulate) is unique to the Wolf Pack. It's not. It may be your first experience with college culture, but it's Not All That.

I was still so disappointed about not being able to pledge a Collegiate Sorority. It's something that I looked forward to since I was a child....and to not have the opportunity crushed me more than I'd let on before tonight.

Being part of the Wolf Pack is enough. Just the way it is. I was even messing with the Law of the Jungle when I mentioned letters and paddles....and rereading the Law and knowing that I really screwed the pooch with my blatant violation is beyond shame to me. I really let down the Pack with those words.

Now this is the Law of the Jungle -- as old and as true as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die. As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back -- For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.

I think everyone just needs to take a step back. I think misscherrypie was just trying to articulate that Nevada is like a family (like a sorority/fraternity). Giving it Greek letters was just a fun thing, not meant to offend anyone.

Southern California.

So, your question is: Why does my University culture and belonging mean so much to me? Simply because I was raised without much of an identity and never had very many friends or close ties to bind with, even now. I've always wanted to belong to an organization.


What do you mean by stated age? Are you wondering why I'm 28 and so stuck on Greek Life? I don't have an answer for that question. I really don't.

I'm making an effort to move on now.

Thank you for trying to say what I couldn't put into words. Still, the letters weren't appropriate at all. And I apologized for that.

I'll tell a story:
When I first moved to Northern Nevada and was waiting in line at the store: someone didn't have enough money to pay the bill and was short. He was going through his wallet (which was a Nevada one) something furious trying to see if he'd missed a bill or something, and the guy behind him, pulled out his wallet and paid the difference. The guy that he helped looked at him and said thank you....then the other guy said "We have to help each other. What year were you?"

It's that kind of bond.

MissCherryPie, it sounds a little like you are having a hard time ajdusting to college. It can be like that. You might want to talk to someone at the student counseling office. If there is a non-traditional student support group, you might want to check it out.

You are 28. You are a nontraditional student. I loved nontraditional students when I was a TA. They were always the hardest workers. Adjusting to school is a little tougher for them (you), though. It takes longer for nontraditional students to find a social niche. Besides talking to a counselor, I would strongly suggest finding a group that is activity oriented.

From my undergraduate days, off the top of my head, my first thoughts are the marching band, solar car team, cross country, theater, water polo, student newspaper, college radio, madrigals, jazz band, the group that raises money to build wells in poor countries (Engineers for Water?)... whatever you school calls the community activity board might also be good. That's the student group that brings in bands and movies and entertainers.

Agree. I've often said, with my tongue only partially in cheek, that the country's largest fraternity is the Marine Corps. Obviously, it's not really a fraternity, but . . . Semper Fi! and all that.

misscherrypie, I'm really glad you're feeling such a bond to your campus community. (Though given the part of the world I'm from, I'm having a little trouble dealing with the Wolf Pack-in-Nevada part of it. :D) In my ideal world, that's how it should be for everyone at every school, and trust me -- lots of us from lots of different schools understand exactly what you mean about the campus spirit. It's not unique to UNR. Celebrate that and don't feel like you need to apologize for it.

As for the Greek aspect of it, I for one wasn't offended. I can't say I really saw the point in assigning Greek letters, but I just think it was part of where you are in the grieving process, and that's what it seems to me you're doing -- grieving that something you really wanted just may not be in the cards for you. That's okay. Give yourself some time to grieve that, and then look to see what great opportunities are stll there for you, or what opportunities you can create.

BTW, another avenue that might be worth exploring -- I don't know whether you are a religious person at all, but if you are, I'll say that in my experience campus ministry groups -- whether Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, UU, Hillel or whatever . . . -- offer great opportunities for fellowship (not unlike brotherhood or sisterhood), fun and service to the community. Just a thought.

For what it is worth, Acacia (1904), FarmHouse (1905) and Triangle (1906) are all NIC fraternities - none of these fraternities use Greek letters.

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