The week Greek Life at UMD had been waiting for all semester ended last week. Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Delta Tau, and Alpha Phi Alpha, representing New Jersey, came in first place.
This year there were a series of changes to Greek Week, which were aimed at fostering more relationships in the Greek community.
One of the biggest changes this year was that match-ups were grouped together into regions, each representing a region of the United States: The Northeast, Southwest, Midwest, West Coast, or Southwest. This year the Southwest regions placed first.
Every match-up was assigned a state in one of these regions, expanding the support they can receive to two other match-ups.
“I think it’s a great idea and it really allows you to meet more Greeks than your matchup. I also think its great that everyone in the same regions cheers each other on,” said Undecided sophomore Reena Patel, 19.
Alex Broseker, 20, a junior Criminal Justice major and president of the Panhellenic Association at the University of Maryland, explained the ways in which this year’s Greek Week differs from previous years.
“We did this [created regions] so more chapters could get to know each other and intermingle. We really wanted to make Greek Week different from Homecoming to differentiate between the two and making regions is one way we did that,” said Broseker. “We also made changes in the sports. We are doing soccer and basketball this time and are doing the “Amazing Race” instead of the Olympics.”
The soccer championship game was played on Friday from 3 to 4 p.m., won by Illinois, and the basketball championship game, won by New York was the same day but from 4 to 6 p.m.
Greek Week didn’t only focus on physical activities. Community service and academics are an essential part of all the Greek organizations so it makes sense that they were included as well.
The Amazing Race, which happened on Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., included trivia questions as part of the four-stage relay race.
Students had the option of attending an all Greek Study Night for points as well as Packaging Food alongside Kids Against Hunger and Terps Against Hunger.
“Doing the study night and the community service shows that Greek life is not living up to the stereotypes that everyone has of it and that Greek life and Greek week isn’t just about partying,” said Sara Smith, a sophomore Psychology major.
“It really adds to making Greek week incorporate every part of the college experience,” said Colleen Connolly, a freshman letters and sciences majoe.
Despite the good intentions, some students were not completely on board with the change.
“I think it’s unique but kind of confusing and odd,” said junior math and physics major Ben Towels. “They should’ve done something people could relate to more than states they aren’t from.”
Students were encouraged to support each other through social media as well. Each organization had a Twitter handle and they are encouraged to tag their region companions for spirit points.
The rededication ceremony was celebrated Wednesday, where Greeks found out who took home the top honor of winning greek week.