Greek life; Everyone has heard of it, and everyone likely has an idea in their mind of what it is. Whether it’s from being in a Greek organization yourself, hearing about it on the news and social media, or just seeing it in movies and TV shows, the idea of Greek life varies from person to person, and from place to place.
jdhfkjfh Greek life; Everyone has heard of it, and everyone likely has an idea in their mind of what it is. Whether it’s from being in a Greek organization yourself, hearing about it on the news and social media, or just seeing it in movies and TV shows, the idea of Greek life varies from person to person, and from place to place.
Greek life is made up of fraternities and sororities which typically function as a social organization in colleges and universities. These are national organizations that have local chapters on a college’s campus. Both fraternities (male Greek organizations) and sororities (female Greek organizations) host philanthropy events to support their individual charity. They also have social events with themselves, as well as other Greek organizations. Greek organizations typically have members with similar values, while also aiding in academic support and offering multiple leadership opportunities throughout a member’s years involved.
Each Greek organization differs, so if interested in going Greek, it is important to get a good feel for them during Recruitment or Rush. Recruitment is the process of joining a sorority, and rushing is the process of joining a fraternity. At most schools, these will be a days-long process so the new member can really get a feel for each chapter, and where they eventually would like to call “home.”
Typically membership continues throughout the entirety of one’s college undergraduate career, but the benefits of Greek life can last throughout one’s whole life. Many chapters have alumni events to allow older members to keep in touch with one another. Many members’ closest lifelong friends are those that they have met in their Greek organization! If this sounds like something you may be interested in, continue reading to learn everything you need to know about potentially going Greek!
SORORITY VS. FRATERNITY - WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
While all Greek organizations have a similar goal of bettering their members through philanthropy, academics and social interactions, there are some differences between fraternities and sororities. The first, and probably the most obvious difference is that fraternities are typically for male members, while sororities are for females. The leading organization that heads all fraternities is called the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and it represents 57 men’s fraternities throughout the US and globally. These NIC organizations have members with similar interests, including leadership, faith, business, and more. Interested in learning more about fraternities?
For women, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) oversees 26 national sororities. NPC sororities are located on 670 campuses, 3,350 collegiate chapters with about 370,000 current undergraduate members. Interested in learning more about sororities?
Despite the difference between the members’ genders, there really is not much of a difference between the two types of Greek organizations. Both fraternities and sororities tend to share similar values within their organizations as well as participating in philanthropy and other Greek life events on their campuses.
BENEFITS OF GREEK LIFE
There are plenty of benefits of Greek life to consider before making the decision to join a fraternity or sorority.
SOCIAL BENEFITS:
Greek life is an amazing way to meet new people on campus, some that you may never have met without Greek life. Many people have met their life long friends and even spouses through Greek life. While it is a stereotype that all Greek organizations do is party, they also host many academic, philanthropic and volunteer events that help bring members together, along with members of other organizations together, too. College is a time to start new friendships and push yourself, and Greek life is an amazing catalyst to do just that. Not only will these social benefits help in undergrad, but they will continue to provide benefits in the future as well. Greek organizations have about 9 million alumni, between sororities and fraternities. This can be a great networking tool, as it shows a common interest and values right upfront.
ACADEMIC BENEFITS
With so many members, it is likely you will find someone in your same or similar major which can be beneficial for academic success. Also, many Greek organizations have tutors and academic resources (sometimes even specific to your major or concentration!). Most chapters also have a certain GPA that their members must up-hold. If not meeting the requirement, many times the member will not be able to attend the social events held by their chapter. This helps students prioritize academics first and holds the student accountable for their academics.
PHILANTHROPIC BENEFITS
Greek life gives members the opportunity to give back in a way that may not be possible without being part of the organization. Greek organizations raise millions of dollars annually for their specific charity or philanthropy. This gives its members a greater sense of purpose and another reason to come together to work towards a common goal.
LEADERSHIP BENEFITS
Greek life is an amazing way to step out of your comfort zone and take on responsibilities you may have never thought you’d be able to do. Each organization has many different leadership titles, some more involved than others. Most, if not all organizations have a president and a governing board of some sort. This can give its members great opportunities to learn how to solve problems and help its members. This can also be a great way to gain real world experience and can really differentiate you from others when applying to graduate school, a job and a plethora of other scenarios post-grad.
THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GOING GREEK
Along with the benefits of Greek life, there are a few things to consider before deciding to go Greek.
MONETARY COST
To join these Greek organizations, one must fulfill a financial obligation which is often thousands of dollars per year. While this obligation differs between organizations and universities, the fee to be part of these organizations can be hard for a college student to manage, especially if paying for the cost of tuition, housing, etc. The primary reason for the monetary obligation is so that organizations can continue to provide members the benefits previously described. The money goes towards house upkeep, social and philanthropic events, and many other factors that go into being part of Greek life.
Most organizations have financial plans to help its members afford these, along with scholarships that they can apply for to help reduce the cost. There are many ways to save and make Greek life affordable. Talk to your campus’s Greek office or each organization's governing board to learn more about the financial obligations and ways you can save!
TIME COMMITMENT
Many Greek organizations have events where they require a certain number of its members to participate. There are usually also weekly meetings and events that its members are required to go to. This time commitment usually picks up during busy times like Recruitment or Rush. This can cut into a member’s studying or hours at their job. If you are good at time management, this should not be a problem. That being said, students who struggle with managing their free time might need to sit down and prioritize what they feel is the most important.
RULES
What some people do not realize when joining a Greek organization is that they have to follow rules that the national organization instills for its members. Some rules may include not being allowed to post certain things on social media, specific outfit attire for meetings and events and other rules that may be specific to their Greek organization. These rules are typically looking out for its members by having them put their best foot forward. But this is still something to consider when looking to join the Greek community.
DECIDED TO GO GREEK? GRAB SOME APPAREL TO REP YOUR ORGANIZATION!
Now you are probably wondering, is Greek life worth it? There are so many things to consider before going Greek, but the choice is ultimately up to you! Look at Greek life pros and cons, do some more research and ask members of your campus Greek community if Greek life would be a good fit for you!
If you decide to go Greek, the first thing you will want is some apparel to represent your new organization. As a leader in the Greek apparel industry, there is no better place to find the trendiest Greek apparel than at universitytees.com. With our talented artists’ designs, exclusive apparel you can’t find anywhere else, and new products dropping all the time, this is where you will want to look for the best Greek apparel on the market.
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College LifestyleDecember 14, 2021