Warning: This article will talk a lot about feelings. If you can’t handle that, spend some time reflecting on yourself and come back to this, because I have important things to say. My experience writing a thought-provoking article for our college newspaper has been incredibly stressful. Because I wrote such a pointed piece, I’ve hardly gone a few days without hearing about it from someone or several people.

I started out trying to write another fiery, impassioned article about the status of Greek life at Whitman, and I ended up feeling small, timid and stressed. I have a deadline as a regular columnist for The Pioneer, and every time I think about that I get scared and my chest starts to tighten.

There’s something wrong with that. If a person has something important they want to say, they should be able to feel good about having said it. They should be able to feel strong and tough and not worn down from the stress. Even as I write this I can imagine the responses on the Pioneer’s website or anonymous whispers on Yik Yak.

For a while I’ve wanted to write about what’s it’s like to protest at Whitman, but I haven’t felt like I’ve had the authority to do so. Part of me doesn’t want to write another article like that. I don’t want to hear from my friends that Yik Yak is showing some contentious debates where people are talking about me. I don’t like being the person who is judged or criticized.

I’m not a martyr. I’m not purporting to know what I’m doing or be any kind of expert on Greek life, but I’m frustrated. Part of what I’m writing about here is an encouragement to others who have spoken out about contentious issues.

One of the issues that continually surfaces around Greek life is how to get the fraternities on board with social issues and sexual assault problems. I’m speaking from my personal experience of conversations I’ve had or have been had around me. I know that *not all men* need to be convinced to participate in Take Back the Night or welcome ASC into your chapter room, but there is still a big deficit of those that seem to care.

In an effort to reduce the amount of movements started on Whitman’s campus only to be dropped off, I’m next writing a follow-up to the article I wrote on Greek life at Whitman several weeks ago. Stay tuned, keep reading that Pio, because my next article will be what this one was supposed to be. I just had to get some things on the table first.