Have you ever walked by the Pub and wondered what all the excitement was?

Why were so many people conjugated in one place? Peering through the glass window, the scene that unfolds before ones eyes appears as animated as the newest Disney film. Monday through Thursday the Pub becomes the cold weather gathering place for the Greeks on campus. Maximum capacity in theSacramento State Pub, located in the River Front Center, is 236, and that number can nearly be reached at peak hours.

Enter the Pub and you could mistakenly feel as if you have left Sac State and walked onto the set of a popular college sitcom or transported to a glamorous Gap commercial. Beautiful people, stylish hair and people talking way too fast are the first impressions of the section of campus informally labeled the “greek area.” To the naked eye, one only sees the beauty and superficial image of people chatting amongst each other. On the other hand, a fire marshall would see a fire hazard waiting to happen. Tables made for ten easily have 12 to 14 people sitting at them, with students sharing chairs and sitting on others? laps. Believe it or not, these students also attend classes just like other students on campus. However, they have elected to spend their time between classes in the Pub.

Some students go class to class to class while others attend school with the highlight being their breaks on campus. I am involved in the Greek community on campus and know the Pub scene from first hand experience. It is wonderful to have a large core of friends on campus for support. Other Greeks on campus feel so strongly about the time they spend gathering in the Pub that they have created their own verbs for hanging out in the Pub. Melissa Martinez, a senior, says that she enjoys “Pubulating.” In the spring when the weather warms up the verb is “Quadulating” as the students move from the Pub to the Quad to enjoy the sunshine.< p>The Greeks on campus are often viewed as those students who attend school to socialize. I will admit, some Greeks on campus do have a reputation for partying and having a grand old time, but these students feel that they are maximizing their college experience while giving back to the community through organized philanthropic events. At Sac State, there are 13 social fraternities recognized by the Interfraternity Council and seven national Panhellenic sororities along with two Panhellenic associated sororities.

With so many options to join Greek organizations at the college level how could their image be so negative? Just for your information, not all Greek organizations are social. There are also academic and cultural fraternities. The Greek scene is not for everyone, just as sports are not everyone?s cup of tea. All college students on campus should be able to participate in whatever activities they like without being stereotyped, as long as their activities do not offend anyone else.

If everyone took the extra time to learn about all the extracurricular activities on this campus that other students participate in, there would be less stereotypical ideals floating around. So next time you walk by the Pub window , step inside and say hello. You will more than likely be greeted by a warm smiling face.

Crystal Clark wants to hear from you. E-mail her at [email protected].