Generally speaking, the prevalence of Greek living, especially
the Animal House variety, is down at most colleges and
universities after taking a beating for widely publicized hazing
practices (abusive treatment of pledges by active members).
However, at some schools, particularly in the South, fraternities
and sororities are still going strong.
Depending on your school, going Greek can be just another
extracurricular activity, or a major lifestyle choice. On your
campus, a frat might be your only ticket to decent parties and
comfortable living. Or maybe you go to a college whose Greek life
is less pervasive, and membership in one of your school's three
obscure, houseless frats would make you something of a curiosity.
Your decision to rush (join a frat or sorority) depends largely
on the prevalence and character of the frats and sororities at
your college or university. Because the variation between schools
is so great, we can give you only the general pros and cons of
donning a toga.
A Housing Option
When it comes to Greek housing, neither the Victorian,
pillared sorority house nor the beer can-laden brothel you see in
the movies is the norm. Frat houses at most colleges are
generally run-of-the-mill, fairly large houses, often clustered
on one block near campus known as frat or Greek row. Living space
is usually limited; not all members get to live in the house, and
space is usually allotted by some kind of seniority system. You
might have to share a bedroom with one or several of your
"siblings," and everyone's expected to contribute to regular
household duties. Most houses have their own cooks, so food
quality can vary significantly from standard dorm fare and
between different houses.
Not every fraternity or sorority has its own house, though.
Some are merely close-knit social groups whose members meet
frequently but live in the dorms or in off-campus apartments.
Members host social functions, work together in the community,
and develop friendships as in other frats, but these groups
usually demand less of a time commitment and allow a lot more
freedom. Membership in an unhoused frat is more of an activity
than a major lifestyle decision.
Does Membership Have its Privledges?
Don't make a decision to rush or not to rush based on unfair
and probably false stereotypes; fraternity brothers are not
necessarily beer-guzzling, stupid jocks, and sorority sisters are
not necessarily exclusive, superficial snobs. Try not to make any
premature judgments; you can end up missing out on a lifestyle
and community you would have really enjoyed. So if you're at all
inclined, go to a couple of rush events and see for yourself
whether stepping into the Greek scene is for you. Greek life
isn't for everyone — many of the aspects of frats and sororities
that appeal to some students turn off others completely.
One of the most frequently cited reasons for joining a
fraternity or sorority is the opportunity for close-knit
friendships and bonding. Greek life affords you a ready-made and
devoted circle of friends. Greeks often develop strong ties and
bonds with their brothers or sisters that last long after
graduation. Membership can provide you not only with lifetime
friendships, but also future professional connections. On the
flip side, your brothers and sisters can become the only members
of your social circle. Living in a frat house deprives you of the
diversity of the dorms. Brothers or sisters in the same house,
are, at least in some respects, a homogeneous population; members
are selected because they possess some preferred quality or
combination of qualities. In the dorms you don't pick what types
of people you live with. This can cause problems occasionally,
but it can also turn out to be one of the richest aspects of your
education.
Joining a frat or sorority, especially if you live in a house,
undeniably kickstarts your social life; you are probably at the
heart of the campus party scene. There's never a dearth of things
to do or events to attend. On the other hand, you're usually
expected or at least urged to attend these parties and events,
which means your social decisions are heavily influenced if not
dictated by your fraternity or sorority. You have a lot less
freedom to do what you please with your downtime, and this can be
a real problem for people who don't like their schedules to be
weighed down or regimented.
Again, what some students view as advantages to Greek life
others consider disadvantages. So if there's a Greek presence on
your campus and you think you'd like to join, take your time
checking out your options and making your decision.
