Written by Elise Luce
Even though all the dorms are named after Greek letters, such as Alpha, Iota, Nu, Omega, don’t get confused—there is no Greek system at Eckerd. Most students, if they have a preference at all, cite this fact in favor of the school and a reason they were attracted to Eckerd. One thing is for sure, Greek life would be out of place on such a small, casual campus. In fact, Eckerd’s campus is more bright and vivid without any type of Greek lifestyle because all students work to make the college community a reflection of their interests and ideals. Without being confined to a specific role or identity, like Greek life, students are able to organize campus-wide and more niche-specific projects, such as a backyard garden. In addition, each dorm/complex community takes on its own identity for its residents, and some dorms are even structured around a specific theme, such as health and wellness, service learning, or the new green dorm for budding environmentalists.
Although it doesn’t have the notorious Greek nightlife, Eckerd has its own traditions. Some of the best annual ones are the Toga Party and the crown prince, Kappa Karnival. Kappa residents spend most of the semester planning and fundraising for this campus carnival that is held every spring (it’s also open to the public). It’s one of the best events of the year, and everybody turns out for a wild, circus-filled night.