Greek Life

[Shiroken]

Phi Kappa Sigma, reporting in. I did it because it was something that interested me from when i was young, as my uncle was a Kappa (Phi Nu Pi for you blacks, pretty boys, candy canes, etc) and i went with him to a lot of his alumni stuff. They did a lot of fundraising for the community, and did a shit ton of stuff like raising money to get kids scholarships to college. Also hung out together, and they were all very close friends. If something happened and we needed some kind of hookup, one of his brothers was within a call away from helping out.

That's pretty much how it is for me now. The guys I pledged with, and was active with, are among the closest friends i have. We do fundraisers for charities and scholarships, and all give money back to the chapter we came out of to allow them to have the same experiences, if not better, than what i had. it was also a great way to break the ice and meet new people in college, and a good time was had by all (minus pledgeship, lol). No regrets, and I would do it again.

Oh shit another Phi Kap on BG haha, what chapter were you?

And I can agree with pretty much all the above statements, I joined Phi Kappa Sigma and in my opinion was one of the best things I ever did in college, and I am far from the shitfaced 6 days a week typical frat guy. I do feel that the "Buying Friends", can apply to a few of the fraternities or sororities on campus but its pretty blatant when you look at them.

One positive fraternity story for at least me, is over last christmas my dad passed away from cancer, It wasn't to sudden but still a very rough time, through no planning on my own I think about 25 of my brothers showed up at the funeral and stayed around the house helping us out with chores such as taking out the trash or bringing in more firewood. But it was amazing to see how much support I had, Try finding 25 people in a group that you feel comfortable enough, and are willing to show up to funeral right around christmas when they are normally on vacation. It's nice to know that if you really need help for something theres 20+ people in my phone who I can call who are willing to drop everything and be there.

On another Note, Sororities are a whole different monster. 50+ Women in a group

[Kurokikaze]

Joined one: Other reasoning.

That shit gets boring fast. Too much drama. lol

[Talus]

Pretty sure these cancel each other out.

They don't cancel each other out because a lot of the guys that work in professions that are potentially useful were not my friends prior to me joining. Out of the groups of friends I had before joining, two are teachers, one works in the intelligence community, one does something web developer-y, and one is just finished his PhD in chemistry and works in research.

[Milkster]

Some (opinion) articles.

Good

Despite the long and positive tradition of Greek life on many college campuses, fraternities and sororities often come under attack from parents, administrators and other students. While some of this criticism is valid, much of it is holding everyone responsible for the actions of a few bad individuals.
Whenever Greek life makes national headlines, it’s never a good sign. Hazing is one of the most serious issues surrounding Greeks today, and many claim that the very nature of the fraternity system encourages this problem. However, to solely blame Greek life for hazing is unfair. While it is true that many Greek organizations have had issues with hazing, it is not limited to them alone. Many other groups, such as athletic teams, also have difficulties with hazing. One study found that around two-thirds of all college athletes are involved in some sort of hazing incident. However, hazing is unjustly often just associated with Greek life, and many criticize Greek organizations for not doing more to curtail it. Yet very rarely are other groups subjected to the same criticism that fraternities and sororities are concerning hazing.
Another general condemnation of Greek life is the “party atmosphere.” Greeks are often viewed as partiers who care about little more than when the next kegger will be. While there are certainly many Greeks who are into partying, college students in general are much more likely to drink than their non-college peers are. According to a study by Colombia University, around 70 percent of students, whether Greek or non-Greek, drink alcohol. In addition, about 40 percent of students engage in binge drinking. While those in Greek life were found to engage in these activities more than the general student body, drinking amongst college students is obviously an issue that affects not just fraternities or sororities, but the vast majority of students on college campuses.
While much is made of the downside of Greek life, very little time is spent on the positive benefits of fraternities and sororities. One complaint leveled against Greeks is that they don’t take their academics seriously (after all, all we Greeks care about is partying). However, Greeks here at AU actually have a higher average GPA than the average student does. In addition, a study conducted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2000 showed that Greeks actually graduate at a higher rate than non-Greeks.
The great benefit of Greek organizations is the connections that are made through them. The friendships that you make during your undergraduate years can often last a lifetime. In addition, the connections that you can make through alumni members is also extremely helpful when networking is such an important element of the workplace today. Fraternities and sororities give you a steady group of support, whether it’s to help you find a job or just to have someone you can talk to when you’re having problems. Life is all about relationships, and Greek life not only strengthens relationships, but helps to form new ones, as well.
Greek life is not perfect, but it is the unfair target of much scorn. If Greeks are to reverse the generally negative opinion that many have toward them, they must lead the way in promoting leadership and responsibility.

After four years of sorority life, I have pretty much heard it all.
I’ve been assimilated to many of those awful stereotypes, such as promiscuous, wild, and ill-virtued.
But EVERY sorority is different. In an effort to explain the strange traditions and sisterly bond, I will share my story.
I was not exactly prepared for college life as an incoming freshman. With twelve years of Catholic school behind me and a core group of girlfriends who were too caught up in extracurriculars to party, I was naïve to say the least.
… And then came college.
I decided to attend Bryant University, a small private institution in New England. I wanted to be “close enough” to home but still have my space. I’m sure we’ve all considered that option. Bryant offered my major, a beautiful campus and a President, “Prez Machtley”—as the students don him—who was warm and welcoming. It quickly became my home.
First semester, I became a member of four organizations and started volunteering. I was even on Dean’s List. I met Danielle, a girl who lived down the hall and was just like me. She and I could make each other laugh to tears, and we would always find ourselves in harmless mischief on the weekends. We quickly became best friends.
But sometimes that harmless mischief took a turn. We Partied. Skipped class. And made mistakes.
Second semester, Danielle convinced me to attend National Pan-Hellenic sorority formal recruitment. At Formal Recruitment, on campus sororities host events where those interested learn more about the organizations. It is a lengthy process, but by the end the sororities have a list of bids to give to recruits. (It is as militant as it sounds).
At recruitment the girls seemed nice, but I had no intention of joining because I held the same stereotypical views that books like Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities, by Alexandra Robbins, help promote.
Then I met Amy.
She was President of Sigma Sigma Sigma, a business major, beautiful and witty.
That’s when I realized those girls were not promiscuous. They were reserved, intelligent and compassionate.
With their awards of “Highest GPA” and “Most Philanthropic Organization”, I was no longer joining for a frat party. I was hoping to join the elite ranks of the most determined, educated and motivated women on campus.
My plans were set. However, my parents, being extremely traditional, were less than thrilled when they heard my decision to join a sorority, but it was MY decision.
(Yes, they were providing me the opportunity of a lifetime by sending me to Bryant, but I was growing, by making my own decision and paving the way of my independence. Even if they did not agree or understand it, they supported me.)
It was the best decision we both could have made.
Greek life held the stigma of campus troublemakers. The Greek Life hall was always trashed and hazing was still relevant. Yes, Greek Life had its issues but what angered its members was how other organizations including the cheerleading squad and football team’s use of hazing or fighting were never addressed. Greek life, as a whole, was an outlet to blame for campus troubles.
Is there still hazing? Yes.
Is there Binge Drinking? Yes.
Is there sexual assault? Yes.
But that’s not Greek Life.
It is a combination of a college campus, alcohol and irresponsible students. In college it is more important than ever to be responsible. Be responsible for your actions. Be aware. And do not let anyone take advantage of you, your situation or circumstances. I can nearly guarantee, you will make mistakes but by making responsible choices they will be limited.
Over my sorority tenure, I learned the drags of recruiting, the depth of involvement and the importance of time management, but I also learned the bonds that last a lifetime, gained a commitment to the community and the feeling of accomplishment.
My “sisters” have fostered who I have become and what I have accomplished. I was recently selected as one of three candidates from a class of 1,000 students to interview for the Recent Alumni Trustee position.
Take life on. Cherish bonds that will last a lifetime. Help the community. Join a Sorority.

Indifferent

Many students are predisposed either for or against not only joining a Greek organization, but even attending a college at which Greeks have a presence. Many stereotypes and mythologies abound, most having to do with the "Animal House" image of frats or the "Southern Belle" reputation of sororities.
Some of you might be sure that you want to join a house in order to find social bonding, parties, post-college networking opportunities, and a nice campus housing option. Others might be certain that Greeks are all bad and don't want to go near a campus that sponsors them.
We aren't going to solve the debate over whether fraternities and sororities are good or bad. Both of us were members of fraternities and had very good experiences with them in a traditional campus setting where Greek houses continue to play an important, but not overbearing role. Instead, let us lay out some ways to look at Greek systems so that you can evaluate them for yourself and decide what, if any, role they will play in your college life.
Stereotypes about Greek life

First of all, most stereotypes are only partially true. Yes, Greek houses (and fraternities in particular) are often a place for big-time partying on campuses that have at least moderately sized systems. That's where a lot of the drinking takes place, where bands play, and where pre- and post-game parties happen.
However, most Greek organizations also contribute to college life in other ways. They host academic speakers, provide educational and counseling services, engage in an enormous amount of community service, raise money for local and national causes, and enroll many campus leaders and athletes as members.
We believe that partying, drinking, and drugs are present on most campuses, Greek or not. Substance abuse and an anti-intellectual or sexist culture are not caused by Greeks, though in some cases these issues can be exacerbated by them. When considering the role of fraternities and sororities on campus — and whether to join one — you should talk with current students about the reputation and culture of the Greek houses at that college.
Greek influence on college life

There are a few factors that determine the relevance and influence of Greeks on any campus. One is the overall percentage of students that join. Twenty to thirty percent of the student body represents a moderate level of Greek involvement. Fifty percent is a much more dominant and significant proportion.
Another issue is the size of the college's student body overall. In a small college of 2,000 students, a 40-percent Greek population makes for a very strong impact on student life and campus culture. There will likely be very few other social outlets on campus beyond Greek life. At a university of 20,000 students, 40-percent Greek participation still leaves 12,000 individuals who are not affiliated with a fraternity or sorority.
A related factor is the location of the campus. A college or university in the city, whatever its size, will allow students many more social opportunities than an institution located in a small town or rural area. Those urban social and cultural choices will mitigate the influence of any Greek system.
Greek life and rush

The timing of fraternity and sorority rush (when students campaign to join a house) can strongly affect the influence of the system on residential and social life. We are still amazed by the many colleges and universities that allow rush during freshman fall, or even before classes start.
Greek houses are exclusive by nature, even though some colleges have houses that maintain open enrollment or guarantee that all students who rush will be offered at least one bid. One of the best ways for colleges to maintain a Greek presence but decrease their influence is to move rush back to freshman spring or even sophomore year. Sophomore rush can lead to a less socially pressured and exclusive freshman year, a more well-considered rush, and a smaller overall percentage of affiliated students.
Campus housing and Greek life

For those of you leaning toward joining, you should note that some colleges have only non-residential Greek organizations. Either the college banned residential houses, or the houses developed at a later stage and did not play a strong role historically in providing campus housing. In any case, non-residential houses tend to have less of a social impact on student life because members continue to live in college housing, especially during their first two years of college.
Sometimes, depending on college housing policies and the school's location, members might then join with a few friends to rent an off-campus apartment. However, this is not the same as 30–50 students or more living together in an exclusive fraternity or sorority house in the central part of campus.
You make the decision about your college life

Ultimately, only you can decide if a fraternity or sorority is right for you. The best opinion, however, is an informed opinion. Before you begin to lean in one direction or the other, look into what the Greek system is like at the schools you are considering. From there, you can figure out if you want to rush…or rush in the other direction.

Bad

Sororities: (Rich, Catty) Robots Unite! Two years and $2400 dollars later, I have come to the conclusion that sororities suck.
Not only are sororities a huge waste of time and money, but they also promote artificial boundaries between students (both between girls of different sororities and Greek vs. non-Greek) as well as discourage individualism. As a freshman at Tulane University, it seemed to me that every upperclassman girl was in a sorority, proudly flaunting their letters everywhere they could—in class, at the gym, at the bars. And after “making friends” with some girls from a certain sorority through the lacrosse team, I decided to rush to see what it was all about. I say “making friends” because I later found out (once I was on the other side of the iron curtain) that they had actually stalked me on Facebook long before we met in real life, decided I was their “type,” and had then proceeded to creepily insert themselves into my life (took me shopping, bought me drinks) in order to get me to join their sorority. Little did I know that at that very early moment (September of my freshman year), many older girls who I didn’t even know existed already knew: who I was, where I was from, which other sororities were interested in me, which guys I had met, if I had hooked up with any of them, etc.
As scarily fake as the “making friends” (not to mention Rush, where you flip through a slideshow of girls’ faces and everyone puts in their two cents on her and her sex life) process turned out to be, I decided not to draw final conclusions about sororities until my sorority experience was, well, finalized. Of course, “friendships” that are formed through Facebook stalking and gossiping are never going to be real—and “sisterhood” is straight up impossible. And so, my hypothesis that these Greek-formed friendships were all completely fake was dramatically reinforced when I dropped out of the sorority this past year: the majority of my former “sisters” blatantly ignored me in passing, as though we had never even met. Whether we saw each other in class, out at night, or just walking by on the street—because I had dropped, I didn’t exist to them anymore. Some, whom I had previously thought to be my friends, greeted me with a cold “hi” but stopped at that. Only about four girls, each of whom I could have predicted, continued to be my (real) friend after I dropped.
One reason my former “sisters” may have chosen to ignore me is because I offended them by opting to not go along anymore with their lifestyle based upon mutually-reinforcing hyper-materialism and hyper-consumerism. I say mutually-reinforcing hyper-materialism because that is all sororities are: a tacit competition to see who can spend a the most money; besides mandatory dues (at least $600/semester), there are clothes (Greek T-shirts—omg, so cute and unique), and all the other expensive crap super rich girls pressure each other to get (the newest $300 designer jeans, purse, shoes, sunglasses, cellphone, etc.) and participate in (tanning, manicures, pedicures, waxes, etc.)
College is supposed to be a place that enriches learning, thought, and individuality. Instead, through sororities, female conformity, stupidity, alcoholism, cattiness and materialism are celebrated and promoted. Personally I think Greek life as a whole should be abolished; however, as evidenced by schools who have banned frats/ sororities (like Princeton for example), as long as kids are too insecure to not have a guaranteed pay-as-you-go group of friends, they will form other meaningless exclusive organizations (i.e. “eating clubs”) in order to serve the same (nonexistent) purpose.

Would most of the (negative) opinions coincide with the last piece written?

[Diamicles]

Too many people only associate fraternities/sororities with partying and general drunkenness, and while that is true to an extent (and true of many college students in general), to pigeonhole greeks in this manner is facile and fails to scratch the surface of overall greek life.

Yes, greeks party. Greeks also consistently surpass the general student population in average GPA, campus involvement, and philanthropic involvement. I personally devoted far more of my time to chapter leadership, campus leadership, and dozens upon dozens of philanthropic events than I ever spent partying. Anyone who wants to 'plug in' to campus life would benefit from joining a greek organization should they find one that fits them.

I had the same sort of experience when I was in college (TKE alum) I spent a lot of my time organizing and running events (not parties) with my organization. I did spend my share of time partying but the majority of that was my freshman year just after I pledged and didn't have and real responsibility with the organization. I found the work that I did in my fraternity very fulfilling at that point in my life. I went to a very small private school, and there wasn't much to do in that town, and being in a fraternity gave me a little more focus with my time outside of the classroom.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions on greek life - it seems to still be very polarizing to the general public. As for paying for friends? I was pretty tight with a lot of the guys I pledged with before we went through that all, and of course you are going to make new friends when you go through a process like that. However, our dues were very small every year, since at the time my school didn't allow off campus houses for greek organizations (yes, stupid rule, now repealed) That's what most of the money goes for, since the larger houses generally tend to hire cleaning/cooking crews to help take care of the place.

I can honestly say that I wouldn't change the decision to go greek for anything.

[Kuya]

I've never seen those greek stereotypes here that i always saw in american media. I wasn't sure if it was just an american thing. Greeks here are mostly about sponsoring community service activities. The closest thing we have here to those stereotypes are the sports teams, but they cool peoples.

[Arvin]

Most of the greek stereotypes fit perfectly with the frats from my school. I can see the pros and cons of being in one, though. So I would say that if I had an opportunity to do it all over again and join one, I would't. Frats transform people for better or worse, and most of my friends who joined a frat became pretty shitty friends.

[Elvis]

I've never seen those greek stereotypes here that i always saw in american media. I wasn't sure if it was just an american thing. Greeks here are mostly about sponsoring community service activities. The closest thing we have here to those stereotypes are the sports teams, but they cool peoples.

That's because you live on an island. American-ness decreases as you go further from the mainland. Duh

[Acturus]

When you can put on your resume that you've done work for x amount of organizations while in school, it can do nothing but help you in the end. Also the connections you build doing said events are amazing.

This. Exactly this.

The biggest thing I ever got out of frat life on my resume was that, as president of a fraternity, I was the CEO of a 60 man organization with an annual operating budget of $100,000. For a 22 year old kid fresh out of college, that's pretty significant to have under your work history or volunteer experience.

Was it only that? No, far from it. But the involvement of a greek organization can be distilled into a lot of awesomeness on a professional resume or CV when looking for that first (or second) job.

[Chun Liroy]

I wasn't saying that specifically to you. It was a more in general thing. So, you almost went Divine 9?

Naw, wasn't an african american Frat. Although, I have been interested in the Iotas.

[brisk]

Most of the greek stereotypes fit perfectly with the frats from my school. I can see the pros and cons of being in one, though. So I would say that if I had an opportunity to do it all over again and join one, I would't. Frats transform people for better or worse, and most of my friends who joined a frat became pretty shitty friends.

The frats here also fit the stereotype. Some of the biggest idiots on campus. My friend had a frat guy in her math class that offered to have sex with the math TA in order to get a good grade on the test. Also, I heard that the frats are just plain dirty, hygienic wise. Something I can't do especially when you have nearly 50+ of them.

[tyven]

sigma pi till i die muthatruckas. i dont regret a second of that shit.

[Aksannyi]

I did not join one mainly because I was about six to eight years older than everyone else in them, and I didn't really fit in with the "just left high school" mindset at all. I'd been in the military and I'd been married and had kids, and that kind of life experience was absolutely foreign to the sorority types. And just about everyone I went to school with.

I also did not live on campus (or even in the same city as my school) so I really kept my school life almost completely separate from my personal life, and I was completely fine with that.

[Restrat]

I don't think it's very productive to ask other people at different schools about greek life. It is completely dependent on the university you are at. What makes greek life special at your university? I've been to three schools (undergrad and grad), and at each one everything was very different. Greek life could be a way for the upper class students to segregate themselves (GWU), the best way to party (UT Austin), or a good social group with a chance to contribute more (American University). Even the same frat could have a terrible reputation as the date rape frat at one school, and the one with the smartest students at a different school.

[Kaslo]

I don't think it's very productive to ask other people at different schools about greek life. It is completely dependent on the university you are at. What makes greek life special at your university? I've been to three schools (undergrad and grad), and at each one everything was very different. Greek life could be a way for the upper class students to segregate themselves (GWU), the best way to party (UT Austin), or a good social group with a chance to contribute more (American University). Even the same frat could have a terrible reputation as the date rape frat at one school, and the one with the smartest students at a different school.

^This man speaks truth.

However, everywhere I have gone, Chi-Os have been fucking hot.

[Talus]

^This man speaks truth.

However, everywhere I have gone, Chi-Os have been fucking hot.

Second that. Alpha Phi's are typically hot as well. Other sororities run very hot & cold - not wanting to name names but ::cough::G Phi B sticks out to me, as does ZTA.::cough::

[Tagus]

Delta Sigma Phi, till the day I die.

Well, that's not true. When I left for college, my mother's last words were, "and don't go joining some party fraternity like the pastor's son." Unfortunately, I ended up joining the exact same one. I followed a group of my friends into the frat because I was at a dry campus, and it was the only way the university would let anybody move off campus before you turned 21. Looking back, they were pretty controlling in that aspect, and it was a policy that ironically pushed alot of people to go greek that wouldn't have otherwise. It was a stereotypical party house, but maybe a bit to the extreme. My first day moving in I walked up the stairs and found that the drug dealer across the hall had made my room his personal chill pad over the summer. As I walked in my door and tried to comprehend the state of the room I was supposed to be moving into, a little girl about 6 years old ran in behind me and grabbed a bong off the table. Her young mom came chasing her daughter from the dealer's room across the hall, half naked and stoned out of her mind, and the little girl turns and says, "mommy, what's this?"... referring to the bong. I heard my parents' voices echoing down the hallway looking for me so I freaked out and pushed them back into the dealer's room, and just ran out into the hall and told my parents that my room wasn't ready for me yet. The whole time the dealer was just standing there watching and laughing. That was the first of many signs from god that I was in the wrong place.

We got put on probation several times for a variety of things ranging from the usual alcohol and drug sales to prostitution charges, and eventually got shut down with about two weeks before finals my sophomore year. It really fucked up my ability to concentrate on school when there was so much shit going on. There were fights, drug deals at all hours, girls passing out drunk and getting assaulted, all sorts of shit. The parties were fucking awesome, but the reality is that you don't really see the madness around you when you're drowning in it. I think the final straw was some guys got a girl shitfaced to the point that she was unconscious and they couldn't revive her, and instead of driving her to the hospital, they drove her back to her dorm and rolled her body into the front lawn and just fucking left her there. As the university was shutting the doors, the dealers were going around threatening to kill people if they talked, while the treasurer was stealing money out of the bank account, people were setting fires and filling toilets with cement, and we all had to sit through expulsion hearings... it was the most fucked up time of my life. That shit is entertaining as hell in the movies, but in real life it's like living in a pressure cooker. Some people's frats may run like a business, but ours was more like organized crime.

Coincidentally, I saw the pastor's son at one point. He had been in college for 11 years by that time, and when I saw his apartment, the walls were covered in crayon drawings. That frat destroyed some people. I guess the good thing I got out of it were some incredibly strong friendships. You never really forget the people you live through hell with. It might sound dramatic, but that was the truth of the place, and it's a big reason why I have no problem with boredom in my everyday life. It's about my favorite thing, in fact.

Edit: I still have nightmares where I'm living in the frat building as an adult but everyone else has disappeared, and the floors and walls are rotting and the whole structure is swaying back and forth. It's a fucking disgusting dream to me to even think about, because I usually wake up not knowing where I am. It probably stems from breaking back into the building the following year for kicks, and somebody had taken a shit in my bedroom sink and there were about 100 dead bees laying on the floor in the living room. God I haven't thought about this in a long time. Thanks for the memories, greek life!

[Milkster]

My campus is relatively small. It's a school of about 38000. It's a graduate and commuter school too. So about 8000 might live on campus. Most people go to class, then home.

[Baelari]

Second that. Alpha Phi's are typically hot as well. Other sororities run very hot & cold - not wanting to name names but ::cough::G Phi B sticks out to me, as does ZTA.::cough::

Here, I think it's ZTA, Deltas, Kappas, Chi-O, and Pi Beta Phi who are the more exclusive ones. No one seems to want to rush ADP or AOP when I listen to people's top picks. I forget if we have more than that or not, and I could be wrong, since I don't pay attention to the social rankings much.

For the guys, Fiji has the scary reputation on campus. And they just sound-proofed their basement, I hear. I think Lamada Chi is the most studious one, and I have no clue where the others fall. There's a bunch.

[tyven]

no one runs hotter and colder than zta. holy shit. they are the doctor jekyll and mr hyde of hotties