Flora Milford, Op-Ed Editor
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the TKEs brought their balls out to play with. I am, of course, referring to their volleyballs! On Monday, February 26, the weather in Beloit Wisconsin hit 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon hit the sand volleyball courts.
After months of solemnity caused by a (not really that) frigid winter, spirits lifted as temperatures rose. Excitement within the circle of TKEs and TKE adjacents (soccer fellas and beautiful women) was inextinguishable. The group galloped over to the sandy courts—fresh after the melting of the winter snow. But this wasn’t to build sand castles, oh no! This was for some jovial, sweaty, and spirited competition.
I spent the hours leading up to this competition with a distant friend of mine, Sam Shea’25, Histor of the exalted frat. Throughout our time together, his excitement was unabashed. We sat by my window, positioned with a picturesque view of the volleyball courts. His ocean-blue eyes hungered after the scene in front of us. About an hour and thirty minutes before the competition, those eyes caught my gaze, and with a fervor I’ll never forget, he stated, “You realize I am going to leave you the second someone texts me that the game is starting. You get that, right?” Internally, I questioned what he meant by this statement. Was he just to leave my room when the game began, or was he to close the door on our friendship as well? Hurt as it did, I immediately understood my position in accordance with this game. I just wished for clarity as to the nature of our friendship. Would it erode, like grains of sand off the very volleyball court on which he was to play? For the rest of our time together, the hair on his neck stood on end, awaiting the buzz of his phone as he prayed for respite – a text that his beloved game was to begin.
Though I was, unfortunately, not able to catch much of the festivities, I interviewed a plethora of TKEs and TKE adjacents alike to hear about their feelings towards the occurrence.
Aiden Everett’24, a self-identified TKE-adjacent with a dashing blond buzzcut, could hardly contain his excitement. He stated that the game made him “Aroused?” He then proceeded to wet his lips before continuing, saying “I cleared my schedule as soon as I heard about it.”
When asked about his feelings about the sport, frater Evan Miranda’27, another bold buzzed (bleached) blond, similarly stated “I always get excited playing with my brothers.”
If the two of these fellas had longer hair, it certainly would have been flouncing in the wind–a trait that marked the day of volley.
Frater Manny Nunez’25, self-identified as “the queef,” batted his bewitching brown eyes while relaying, “I think it’s super fun, especially when the weather’s right for it! [Volleyball] just really helps bring out the community and, you know, we’re all here for a friendly, cheerful, competitive game.”
Donning a sanguine flush on his cheeks, frater Dillon Colclasure’25, passionately cut brother Manny off mid-sentence to state “We’re just guys being dudes. You know? We’re having a good time.”
I questioned the bunch if they’d be willing to open the sport up to non-TKEs and adjacents, unsure if this was a sacred fraternal event. The brothers’ responses were uproarious–so much so that in the frenzy, I couldn’t discern which brother said what. The consensus was clear, however–all competition was welcome.
Steven Hall’25, president of the beloved Phi-Kappa-Psi, self-identified non-TKE-adjacent, and Flora-identified light of the Beloit College campus, stated, “I’m a non-TKE and non-TKE-adjacent and I’m here playing.’ He then proceeded to slam dunk the volleyball, steadfast as a stallion, something I didn’t even know was possible, electrifying the game for the bunch.
The fact that this game could be played in the month of February can only be credited to Punxsutawney Phil, America’s beloved groundhog, who did NOT see his shadow, ensuring an early spring for us normies and granting the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon grace to play their revered sport.
Featured Image Credit: u/abudab1
Leave a Reply