*Writers note—I apologize for the late post, but as you read you will understand*

 

      Last night my pledge class decided to paint the senior bench. A task that may sound minute, but in actuality it has continued the formation of the bond between our new group of friends. But the story truly began on Friday evening.

      Living in a fraternity has its advantages, but there are some major disadvantages as well. As freshman, the entire class is required to sleep in one room, called the cold dorm. This is a great bonding experience, and we learn the true meaning of sharing. Sharing space, food, drinks, and the rhinovirus, to name a few.

      Long story short, I caught it, and was feeling miserable Thursday night and Friday morning. My friend who is staying at another fraternity said it perfectly when he described the feeling as being a cesspool of sickness and disease. That is exactly how I felt. Fortunately, one of my professors had come down with the same illness, and canceled class that day.

      Overjoyed, I took a much needed rest. That night, some friends at the fraternity wanted to go camping, and at that point I was feeling too sick to go. After resting, I decided to tough it out, and go with my friends. We had a great time. A few games of Ultimate Frisbee, grilling burgers and hot dogs, and a night sitting around a campfire getting to know each other outside the realm of the fraternity was a perfect bonding experience.

      We drove back Saturday morning, finished our homework, and relaxed. A few of us watched Quentin Tarantino's classic Pulp Fiction. The movie was almost three hours long, and we did not start it until after eleven. After camping the night before, we all were exhausted, and decided to go to bed.