When the weekend rolls along and the parties last into the wee hours of the morning, those students living on Greek Row who are not part of the Greek organizations have to deal with the noise and the aftermath.

Andre Harris, a pre-elementary education major who lives on Greenbrier Road, said the noise on the weekends doesn’t bother his academic or sleeping habits.

He also said he enjoys the social freedom of walking to an occasional party and walking back home. His only annoyance is when partiers stand directly in front of his window and he can hear every word being said.

Students learn to become heavy sleepers in areas which have a lot of parties.

Pre-sociology major Zakia Lee of Greenbrier Road has learned to be a heavy sleeper and said the weekend parties don’t disturb her sleep.

She said she likes living in the heart of Greek Row because of the welcoming, laid-back atmosphere the area has to offer.

“On a Thursday afternoon you can see everyone out lounging and having a good time,” she said.

Students who do not partake in the weekend parties, such as undecided major Jason McCauley, still enjoy the friendly nature of their neighboring Greeks.

Not all students, however, are pleased with their surroundings.

Some students, such as Steven Nebes, a student at Kishwaukee Community College, balance time as a full-time student and full-time worker.

The noise from the neighbors messes up an already busy schedule, Nebes said.

He said he is in the process of moving to an off-campus location that won’t disturb his rest or work.

The Greek organizations are not to blame but rather the inconsiderate outsiders who come to visit, Nebes said.

Every Greek organization has a philanthropy requirement and donates its time and effort to the community.

Alpha Delta Pi sorority on Blackhawk Road makes cookies and coloring books and raises money for the Ronald McDonald House charity, said Jessie Jordan, an Alpha Delta Pi member. Every year they clean the lawns and parking lots of their non-Greek neighbors.

Jordan said she is trying to establish a recycling program for Greek Row.

Fraternities have similar service programs and projects.

Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, on Kimberly Drive, raises money for Push America, a charity that provides handicap accessibility in the community, said Push America executive Mike Algozine.

For its No Boundaries week from Sept. 11 to 14, Pi Kappa Phi will have a fundraising booth set up on the scaffold between Grant and Stevenson halls all day, every day, along with other fundraising events, Algozine said.