A Greek Tragedy
Rebecca Lee Roberts was your average freshman entering her first year at Penn State. An ambitious girl since she can remember, she had the dream everyone has when first entering college, which is to make many friends and live the typical college life. Perhaps influenced by movies and television, popular culture has painted the life of a college student to be filled with excitement, adventures and drinking. Lots of drinking. No surprise that a girl from Long Island would find herself in the middles of the Greek life on campus.
With so much to do as a member of Penn State Greek life, it can be easily very overwhelming. Rushing as a freshman was a difficult thing to do since so much pressure was placed on her to "fit in". The fact that her parents placed a heavy emphasis on having good grades added extra pressure to a young student, causing her lots of anxiety and pushing her to do more then she thought she could.
After two years of living a crazy life partying and drinking excessively, Rebecca found herself in a predicament. Would she leave this life and live a more calmer, conservative college life, or maintain her old ways? Unsurprising her her, she knew she had to get out. After two years of destroying her liver and living what she would consider a "typical college experience", Rebecca cut off ties with Greek life at Penn State, something many do not do once they join.
Troubled with witnessing so much substance abuse and shallow friendships caused Rebecca to retire from her Greek ways and live a much simpler life, one she says makes her happier knowing she has true friends.
~Michael G. Benavides
