It’s amazing how one
night can change everything.
The Eta Rho
chapter of KKΨ and
the Zeta Upsilon chapter of TBΣ
had gone through many changes as individual organizations in the past year. But
we had a goal together—to become closer. We needed to work together more and
have better personal relationships, which was something our chapters struggled
with. It just seemed to make sense—joint relationships were the next thing that
needed to change.
As a Sister
of TBΣ and a
Brother of KKΨ, we
were both tentative as to what kind of relationship the chapters could have
together. It’s not that we didn’t want joint relations; the two of us are very
close. At WCU, we get two Bigs during our process—one from KKΨ and one from TBΣ. The two of us share
the same KKΨ Big
and that initially brought us together. Now, not only are we twins within our
chapters, but we’re also best friends. More than most, we understand how
powerful joint relationships can be.
Our concern
wasn’t with individual relationships, but with the drama that could occur when
HP and ZY tried to reach their goal. Individuals in both chapters have very
strong personalities that sometimes don’t mix well when we come together for an
activity. The organizations themselves also have stuff to work on. We happen to
have major weaknesses that clash. Sometimes, we push buttons and test
boundaries when all we need to do is not worry so much about the little things
and look at the bigger picture—how we can help WCU’s band program.
And then we had our
joint social.
This night
was meant to help Brothers and Sisters get to know the membership candidates
from the opposite organization. After last semester’s social, not many people
were taking this seriously, but it still seemed like everyone had the potential
to have fun. Some thought it would just be time that we could spend together
outside of band and service projects. Others were expecting to come and go
without getting to know anyone new.
It became so much
more than that.
TBΣ’s Sisterhood chair,
Brian S. Rosa, created an activity that helped all of us to come closer. He
gave us a list of letters, and asked us to write down a word for each letter
that held meaning for us as individuals. We then went around the room sharing
what we wrote. There was no order for sharing—everyone was able to speak freely
and make connections to one another, even to people they may not have known
before.
It wasn’t
long before there were tears in everyone’s eyes. As personal stories came
forth, Brothers and Sisters openly began to express fears, anxieties,
heartaches, and moments that helped to shape them as people. As they talked,
others in the room were nodding. You could see Brothers and Sisters
connecting—holding hands, hugging, or just sharing a meaningful look.
Afterwards, we sang, crying at both hymns instead of just our own.
This night changed
our joint relationships.
This night was the
night Wava passed away.
That day,
there was an obvious change. It was a very emotional day for both groups. KKΨ and TBΣ felt the impact of
Wava. As a Sister, I knew that all my brothers were there for me, not just
Lindsay or the others I was close to. As a Brother, I felt compassion towards
my Sisters, because I knew them better and wanted to help them get through
Wava’s passing.
Our joint social was
more powerful than anyone imagined.
Every
Sister and Brother at that social learned something that night, not just about
other individuals, but as a joint chapter. We learned that everyone has something
in common. Just because everyone is different doesn’t mean they don’t have
something they can share. We learned the Brothers and Sisters need one another
to grow as both individuals and organizations. If we are truly a joint chapter,
then we should be able to rely on each other completely.
It hasn’t
been easy. We’ve all be trying to work on our faults and we realize it’s not
going to be perfect overnight. But we’re discovering that with the improvement
of our individual chapters, there has also been an improvement in joint
relations. It seems that our organizations have been able to band together.
Sometimes we’re separate, but even when we are; we still get along and respect
each other. Overall, we’d call it a work in progress.
Finally, HP
and ZY are starting to trust each other, and when we trust each other, things
get better. This trust takes time, but is completely worth it. Our joint social
is the foundation for this trust. It helped our chapters to realize something that
we, as a Brother and a Sister, already know—there are friendships here. They
may be undiscovered, but they exist.
If there is
one message we can pass on, it’s that it is worth it to take the time. The two
of us both owe so much to each organization, because we wouldn’t have been
friends if we weren’t a part of these groups. Our college lives would have been
completely different and we may not have lived the lessons we’ve learned without
the relationship between Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. Without the
progress we’ve seen, who knows where we would be.
It’s worth the
change.
 |
| The active members of KKY and TBS with Alumni at the Collegiate Marching Band Festival in Allentown, PA |
 |
| The current members of Eta Rho and Zeta Upsilon at the Yule Ball |
 |
| Kaitlyn Galtere (left) and Lindsay Chombok (right) at the Yule Ball |
Lindsay Chombok
Secretary '12-'13
Kappa Kappa Psi - Eta Rho
West Chester University
Kaitlyn Galtere
Vice President of Service '12-'13
Tau Beta Sigma - Zeta Upsilon
West Chester University
