Looking back at my first semester of college, there were topics I had gotten advice on, but others I walked into college completely clueless about. When my boyfriend joined a fraternity I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous, scared, and dreading what could happen next. Over the semester, here is what I found to expect.
1. Girls will flirt with him.
This was one of my biggest fears when my boyfriend joined because I was incredibly jealous of other girls. I disliked the fact that they could go up to him and say whatever they wanted without me being there. However, this can happen even if your boyfriend is not in a fraternity, and is simply a part of life. You have no reason to worry about other girls. Just worry about how much you trust your guy and how you both maintain trust with each other. There should not be a problem unless he acts on those flirtations.
2. When you bring or make food, his brothers will want some too.
My dad always says that a way to man’s heart is through his stomach. The same idea applies to his brothers as well. One of the easiest ways to get his brothers to like you is to bring food. If you only end up bringing food for your guy, they will try to steal a bite. Now, this does not always mean you have to make some fancy dinner or get some obscene amount of candy. I find that the best food is just the one you make with love. I recommend chocolate chip cookies.
3. He will have less time for you.
No, this does not mean he is going to intentionally ignore you and not want to see you. But there is a high chance that he is going to have a different schedule than you. This means that you both are going to have to put more effort into seeing each other. I have found that, even though the amount of time has decreased, the quality of the time spent has significantly increased. Living separate lives does not make you two a bad couple. It makes you a couple that can be independent and healthy, and make the right amount of time for each other like normal adults do.
4. He might develop a "bromance".
When I say "bromance", I do not mean he is going to suddenly change his sexuality. I mean that he is going to become so obsessed with one or more of his brothers that, when they are around each other, it seems like they are in love. This happens when guy's personalities are alike or they just really click together. Your boyfriend is going to want to spend more time with these guys in the house so I suggest that you get to know them.
5. He is going to go to date parties with other girls.
Since I am not in a sorority, I originally thought a date party was when a guy went on a date with a girl either at his fraternity or at a sorority. However, by no means does a date party mean that it is actually a date between your boyfriend and another girl. Often, people simply go as friends. In the Greek community, date parties are a way to make connections and meet new people. If you try to tell your boyfriend he cannot bring anyone but you to a date party, or that he cannot go to anyone else's, you will get into a fight. What I have found is that it works best if you meet or talk to the girl he wants to go to a date party with, if he cannot take you. The rest is based again on the level of trust you guys have.
6. If his brothers do not like you, there is a high possibility you will break up.
His brothers are essentially part of his family now. They are his main support system in college. If his brothers do not like you, you are in trouble because he looks up to them and values their opinions.
7. His personality might change.
For better or worse, a huge life change like college can cause a person's personality to change. This could be because he is finding himself since it is the first time he is living on his own, but it could also be because of negative influences. Be there to support him but not to control him. It is important to take change as it comes so that you can be ready for what ever life throws at you, even if this means more work on the relationship front.
Though none of these will be guaranteed to happen when your boyfriend joins a fraternity, you should read this and hopefully feel more prepared than I did.
