We've all heard it. We've tried convincing our friends to rush Greek Life or talked to someone in Rush Week, and they've said "Greek Life Isn't For Me". It's an unfortunate statement that most likely deters some quality potential brothers and sisters.
That statement shouldn't exist, because it's 100% false.
Before I get in to my main points, here are some great Pro-Greek Life statistics and facts-
- College graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non Greeks
- 85% of U.S. Supreme Court Justices since 1910 were fraternity men
- Over 85% of the student leaders on about 730 U.S. college campuses are Greek
- 71% of those listed in "Who's Who in America" belong to a fraternity
- 43 of the 50 largest corporations in America are led by fraternity men
- Greeks are America's largest network of volunteers, with 10 million hours of volunteer service each year
These statistics prove that being in Greek Life leads to future success. But it's not enough. You can find pro-Greek Life statistics anywhere, and it still obviously isn't doing the trick. Here are some other reasons why Greek Life can be for anyone-
Not all of Greek Life is like this
If you want a fraternity or sorority that drinks like Bluto, then you can find one. But don't just assume that all Greeks are alcoholics.
During Rush Week, visit as many fraternities or sororities as possible. You'll generally be able to tell what the chapter values after talking to some of the members or going to a few events. Certain chapters value partying more than anything else. Some don't value partying at all, and others do well at blending fun times with friendship, sound learning, rectitude and of course, philanthropy!
I guarantee you'll be able to find the best fit for you based off of what you desire in a fraternity or sorority.
You can gain real world experience in planning charity events and managing large organizations
Even fraternities and sororities at a smaller school like NAU can expect to raise thousands of dollars at philanthropy events. NAU saw Alpha Phi raise over $18,000 at their annual Red Dress Luncheon last fall. Last spring, my fraternity and Phi Sigma Kappa teamed up to host a G-Eazy concert where we raised around $6,000 for philanthropy.
Potential employers will really admire the fact that you ran an extremely successful philanthropy event. But they will also admire the fact that you were part of an organization that plans such events and has budgets in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Picture your resume. What would look better: an upper level business management class, or real world experience running a $20,000 philanthropy event or being the treasurer of a fraternity or sorority with a budget in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars?
Of course, you could always go with both.
You'll become great at networking and will make an incredible amount of new friends
I wouldn't be writing for this website if I wasn't in a fraternity. Opportunities like this arise for Greeks all the time.
When you join a fraternity or sorority, you'll meet tons of alumni. Some alumni might own their own company, others may have ties to organizations that can give you internships, and others are just outstanding people to talk to. Bottom line though, you'll be able to network and gain better job or life experiences.
On top of meeting incredible alumni, you will make life-long friends. I know everyone says it, but it's true. You will develop a better social life. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal article, "Greek Life Shown to Be Linked to Real-Life Happiness", not only are Greeks proven to have more supportive social lives and a better sense of well being, but they are also physically healthier, less stressed about money, and more engaged in the workplace as opposed to non-Greeks.
Hazing, like drinking, isn't always a common practice
Sure, some fraternities and sororities haze. But not all of them do. Believe it or not, only .26% of Greek organizations were accused of hazing so far this year. On top of that, college sports teams have been proven to haze just as much, if not more than Greek life.
Not all fraternities and sororities bond through hazing. I experienced that first hand at one of my fraternity's leadership conferences last summer- the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute. We were put in groups where we discussed various attributes and styles about our respective chapters, including hazing. Some of us had tougher pledgeships, while others had pledgeships that included nothing even close to hazing. And you know what? All of us had strong brotherhoods because...
Fraternities and sororities on each and every college campus have their own unique culture
There are chapters that bond through being tough on one another, while others may bond through relaxing and carefree things. Some sororities bond through crafting and some fraternities bond through playing video games. Basically, you can't judge a fraternity or sorority, or Greek Life in general, until you immerse yourself within the organization or organizations themselves.
A fraternity chapter at one school may be full of football players, but the same fraternity at another school be be full of honor students. It's truly impossible to say "Greek Life isn't for me" until you get first hand experience of the chapters at your school.
There are no two fraternity or sorority chapters that are exactly the same. Sure, they might be united under the same cardinal principles, but the way they go about implementing or living by those things are different.
Finding the right fraternity or sorority is like dating in a way. You shouldn't give up just because you or a friend had a bad experience. There are bad eggs out there, but the perfect one for you awaits. You might not find the perfect one on the first try, but if you keep looking, you'll find where you best fit. Greek Life can be for everyone if you just give it a try.