The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/author/jsim/)
Jaewon Sim is an undergraduate student-elected member of the Cornell University Board of Trustees and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
I feel proud because when I see the name “Cornell,” I know for a fact that we are living up to what lies at the heart of our mission as a leading educational institution.
A truly practical solution that works for every Cornellian — and not just ones in specific colleges or majors
A month-long winter break has come and passed. Still, after having just completed this year’s first rush cycle, the state of Greek life at Cornell and new University policies on Greek events remain some of the most contentious issues on campus. However, this isn’t the first time that the Greek system at Cornell has been at the center of controversy. Some of the first major complaints about dirty rushing were filed around 1915, to which the IFC responded with a Barnes Hall trial of the accused fraternities. Why are we – a century later – still grappling with the same question of how to curb misbehavior in Greek communities?
Albeit being just a four-day extended weekend, fall break comes as salvation for many students on the Hill. This is perhaps because of the unique stresses of fall at Cornell. On top of the usual academic responsibilities, students spend much of their time attending information sessions, filing applications and interviewing for positions. But not for jobs. For clubs.
I still vividly remember my first semester at Cornell as a newcomer wearing a shiny ID on the red “Tatkon Center” lanyard. Early freshman year was many things, but it mostly boiled down to two activities: sporting my fashionable “Hello, my name is ____” sticker and strutting down College Ave. in my massive O-Week group with only Google Maps to guide us to a party we had found on Facebook. Now a junior, I’ve been here long enough to feel at home that I rarely walk through Collegetown in groups larger than three. But watching — from the eHub window seats — the new generation of Cornellians engage in these freshmen processions makes me reflect on my own arrival on the Hill.