Greek Week is structured on a team-based point system, where groups of one sorority and two fraternities team up to raise the most money and retroactively get the most “points.”
This year, proceeds will benefit Relay For Life.
Although the competition becomes more intense starting Tuesday, the opening speech is meant to inspire passion in competitors.
“The whole thing is a competition, but the speaker is something more educational and inspirational,” Greek Week chairwoman Kiara Farrell-Starling said.
“The team with the most points gets bragging rights for the rest of the year, and people will remember that you won,” Farrell-Starling said.
Psychology freshman Natalie Cruse said she was excited to experience her first Greek Week. She said each year’s winning team is revered by the greek community.
Details about the week’s first event, which featured a motivational speaker at Breslin Center, were not released until moments before he came into the room. Tuman is a renowned motivational speaker and an alumnus of the MSU Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, or Fiji.
During his speech, Tuman discussed life, happiness and success, stressing that money is not the most important thing in life. He proved his point by ripping up a $20 bill from an audience member.
“I am simply saying to all of you who have got some big choices coming up in your life, if this (money) is the only thing in your life that motivates you, if that’s the only thing you get up every day ?for, if that’s the only thing that has meaning, there’s never going to be enough,” Tuman said.
Tuman also encouraged students to take what life throws at them.
“Sometimes (the world) is cruel, its inhuman, its insensitive, and you’ve inherited it. But the challenge is, what do you do with it?” he said.
Fundraising and preparations begin weeks in advance, Farrell-Starling said. Greek Week teams have been running fundraisers at restaurants all over the city in preparation.
The week’s events continue with MTV Night on Tuesday, which consists of the best dancers from each Greek team putting on an intense dance routine, marketing freshman Mark Deacon said.
Other competitors will participate in Wednesday’s Songfest, a dance contest where more people are given the chance to dance. A panel of judges decides which teams brought forth the best routines for both nights.
Deacon said the pressure to perform well in MTV night builds as the week continues.
“My roommate is one of ?the dancers for MTV Night, and he’s been preparing for weeks now, he’s got to live up to some expectations,” Deacon said.
