No one should ever feel ashamed to admit to being in a sorority or a fraternity. Greek Life gets a bad reputation from people who don't know what it's really like.
Most of the time, movies portray sorority and fraternity members as wild, alcoholic, sex-crazed animals. However, that is not the truth. Yes, there is a fair share of partying involving the Greek community, but it is not the only thing members do. The stereotypes of members in Greek organizations do not accurately portray all the positives that actually go on.
Greek Life is big on giving back. Each sorority and fraternity has their own national philanthropies that they raise money for throughout the year. Sigma Chi annually holds Derby Days which gets every sorority on campus involved. The money raised goes to Children’s Miracle Network as well as the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. As for sororities, a popular example would be that Delta Gamma plans Anchor Splash each year to raise money for Service for Sight.
At many universities, dance marathons take place to raise money for various causes. Penn State Greeks started THON, which is a 46-hour dance marathon raising money for pediatric cancer research. It’s obvious that members of Greek Life are heavily involved in philanthropic activities, yet their service often goes unnoticed because negative stories get more attention in the media.
Greek Life is also a great tool for networking. Adding a fraternity or sorority to your resume can add leadership skills if you held a higher position. Being on your chapter's executive board shows your commitment to being involved and showing responsibility. Employers seek out brothers and sisters when hiring. If a recruiter sees you share a Greek Life experience, that is a great conversation starter, and Greeks are always interested in helping other Greeks.
A common misconception about Greek Life is the amount of partying that goes on. Yes, Greeks party. However, it is not the sole reason they join their respected sorority or fraternity. Being in Greek Life is a great opportunity to build friendships. Attending events throughout the community is a great way to meet other people that are involved, too. Alcohol doesn’t have to be involved to have a good time. There are many sober events that go out throughout the year that are fun.
Since Greeks don’t spend all their time partying, they actually care about their GPA. Grades are just important to Greeks as any other student on campus. In fact, Greeks have the opportunity to help each other.
Additionally, nationals are extremely strict about hazing. Therefore, it doesn't occur as much as people think. Yes, sometimes hazing happens. However, those organizations that choose to haze are often penalized and face strict sanctions. In fact, many times there are news stories about fraternities and sororities getting shut down because their is a zero-tolerance policy for hazing.
Many Greeks also participate in intramural sports. It’s a great way to stay in shape as well as to meet other Greeks. Some members of the community are athletes, even going as high as Division I athletes.
The facts presented show that Greek Life is more than just one big party. Before judging Greeks, people should see what really goes on. The Greek community is very welcoming. Therefore, maybe someone not involved will want to check it out. We’d love to have you.
