Graduation Depression

It’s only about six days after the graduation at my school. No, it was not my turn. But it was the turn of several of my chapter brothers. As they move on to the “real world,” I have to wonder what it is like leaving the chapter that you love so much.

After classes were over and attempts at studying are made everyone would gather around the volleyball court for some good fun and fellowship. If you didn’t want to hang out on the sand you could always go in the chapter house. Somebody was bound to be kicked back in front of the tube watching the latest episode of Family Guy or South Park. Some nights the lady friends of the chapter would even stop by to cook dinner.

And then there’s the real life afterwards. Some of my friends have packed up and moved more than 200 miles away from our chapter. Their after-hours time is now spent looking out of the window of their apartment, watching reruns of West Wing and calling several of the guys that they were close to. Their minds revisit the fun times that they had as an undergraduate. But they also realize that there are no more intramural games or late night skit practices.

We’re guys. We rarely admit to having feelings. But, the tone of their voice says what their words don’t. These guys are lonesome and somewhat depressed about having to leave college and more importantly having to leave behind 50 of their closest friends.

When we think of alumni relations it seems that our first reaction is to try to get in touch with the “old guys.” The more I think about it, it is the young alumni that need us to stay in touch with them. After all, if we can keep the fire burning that these men have for SigEp, then they will be great alumni now and thirty years down the road.