Texas Traditions

Avery Walker
Kappa Kappa Gamma

Following Initiation and with Parents' Weekend approaching, there has been a word on my mind lately - tradition. How crazy is it to think that our parents had the same college experience as us only 30 years earlier? Not only did they visit the same places, live in our fraternity and sorority houses, and perform initiation in the exact same way we do - many of them were Longhorns. It is so special to watch a father and son bond at the fraternity house or to see a pledge sister of mine being pinned by her grandmother. These traditions are what make Texas so unique.

It is crazy the number of people that pledge their parents’ legacy. However, sometimes the new generation makes a different choice. My father was a Sig Ep here at Texas, and when I came to UT, he could not believe the changes implemented at the house and how much the fraternity has grown and flourished. My mother was a Texas Pi Phi, and although I did not continue her legacy, it has been really neat to know that we have been a part of two different and excellent sororities. Living at Hardin House, passing the Goodall Wooten and eating at Milto’s pizza bring my parents back to their glory days.

Flipping through old photo albums and yearbooks, I am amused to see that not much has changed. Yes our hair isn’t quite as voluminous, and our lipstick might be traded in for a lighter shade of pink, but the baggy sweatshirts, leggings and Sperrys remain. Wranglers have always been the jean of choice for the guys, along with Polo and IZOD. Costume theme parties are the most entertaining to look back on because they haven’t changed a bit! Facebook was waiting to be invented, but Polaroids were snapped at parties, and photographers like TOPS documented the moments. The wild parties still ruled the social scene, and 6th Street still stood as a favorite destination. Shultz’s Beer Garden was the place to be on a Thursday night.  With all of the socializing that was going on, “weed-out” classes still stood as a problem to be addressed.

The hippie professors (fueled by caffeine and liberalism) were tough to please, and my mother began to see that visits to office hours might be her saving grace. Taking her advice, I have been able to do the same and create a personal relationship with a few professors and many TAs. However, one thing I believe has changed is the campus’ perception of Greek life. We are more involved on campus and better received than ever before. My first semester at UT, I was afraid to wear my letters on the days I attended my small “Banned Books” class with 12 other students. I didn’t want those around me to see me as only a sorority girl and not their intellectual equal. However, I realized that in the end, the PhD student didn’t really care about my sorority.

It has become so commonplace for people to sport their letters that yes, they may categorize me, but they won’t doubt my ability to make the grades. Greek life has continued to grow in its involvement on campus through College Councils, Student Government and other organizations. Our philanthropic achievements have changed the lives of so many people through our numbers and resources. We are better than ever before and are continuing to make an impact on the University and the community. I encourage you, the next time you are home, to ask your parents a little bit about their college experience. Not only will you laugh at the pictures, but also you will glean valuable information. After all, don’t forget they were in your shoes not too long ago. 

Avery is a sophomore studying English. You may contact her at awalk10@verizon.net.