Aubrie Cross
INTD: Science Writing
ac46@genenseo.edu

Nature VS Human Habitat
By: Aubrie Cross

Every tree on Earth no matter the color, shape, or size, began with with a single seed. One tree on campus that caught my eye was the Greek Life tree. This tree in particular is known for being a competitive symbol between sororities and fraternities. The goal is to paint the tree at the highest point to reveal the group that stands above the rest. Before this was a tradition, the tree was just a simple plant that grew up from its roots and had only served its own purpose. Over time as this tradition began to take over, the tree changed from being a pure piece of nature into a humans work of art. From afar the tree appears to look as if it was just vandalized by a group of college kids. However, as you get closer to it you begin to see the artistic layers that have built up over the years. While looking at the tree I began to wonder as to how this obscure tradition began. Did a sorority or fraternity start this? Was it a joke to begin with? How long has this been a tradition? What has caused this to still be a tradition? Although I don’t know the answers to all these questions, I do know that this has become a landmark to Geneseo’s campus. The tree itself shows the boundary between natural and artificial worlds. Roots meet the soles of students, tree bark meets paint, mother nature meets humanity.