<p>Go to your first frat party with a lot of friends, and don’t drink. You’ll get an idea of if the frats are right for you since the guys are gonna put moves on you whether you’re drunk or not. See how you can handle their advances sober and if you have a hard time fighting off guys who you aren’t interested in, it’s probably a good idea to stick to house parties.</p>
<p>Don’t trust people who say house parties are just like frat parties right away. I have a feeling they go to private schools where the brothers are more likely to be the richest of the rich rather than the sleaziest of scum. At my school, and probably most others, the frats will only let in a few guys (enough to break even on the cost of the party) and get as many girls as they can in. Their motives are pretty obvious.</p>
<p>Regardless of the party or bar, do not take a drink from anyone else, not even a girlfriend, because you have no idea which cute boy handed it to her. Stick to nonalcoholic stuff until you get a really solid group of friends, too. Never go alone with a boy to “see his room,” I assume you know this, but it is amazing how many girls do stupid things as freshman. Do not get driven or walked home by a boy until you really know him during daylight hours, as well. Do not have sex with any boy until you have dated him in a “date” situation. Insist on dates. Respect yourself and they will respect you. Never put your drink down and pick it back up, has been mentioned but bears repeating. If you find yourself at a party and all the other girls have disappeared, or you suddenly find yourself alone with more than one frat boy get out of there immediately. Most campuses have security even on the weekends which will come and escort you home.</p>
<p>Eventually you will find yourself with friends, men and women, and you will know where you are, and then it will be different. But for the first semester just be incredibly careful.</p>
<p>You are going to KSU right- is that kent? ok anyways I live in Columbus OH, 15 minutes from OSU and I can assure that frat parties at OHIO schools are much like any other school- maybe more hard core at Ohio University- they like to throwdown- anyways just take the other posters advice and take care of yourself, its college so you can do as you please but do it responsibly or you could end up hurt, sick and maybe pregs.</p>
<p>OK, JackM now is starting a conversation…so here’s my response:</p>
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<p>Yeah, I can. Greek parties involve extensive planning, dressing up, and bringing a date. Non-Greek parties do not involve extensive planning, don’t involve dressing up, and don’t involve bringing a date. They are much less organized and occur more randomly. They aren’t frequented by the same class of people that attend Greek events. And let’s be honest…when it comes to parties in college, what is ideal? If you aren’t going to party, then what do you do? </p>
<p>Halo tournaments? Just live in a coffee shop? Work your butt off? Go home to your parents’ house for the wknds? Go see a live performance, like a band, symphony, or a play? Let’s be honest, you’ll do some of everything…but most students will go to parties more than anything else.</p>
<p>It seems disingenuous to judge all frats for hosting a social scene, because it’s just one of many social scenes. It’s obviously a social scene with lots of drinking but anyone surprised by that needs to drop out of school and go to a convent. The reality is that the Greek system is a safe environment for unsafe practices…practices which are going to happen anyway if there are no wild frat parties.</p>
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<p>Which is why I threw in a facetious statement like that, acknowledging the long list of many criticisms of Greek life…and it’s true, because all of those criticisms come from non-Greeks. So it really is “from the outside.”</p>
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<p>Not really. Game on TV + cartons of beer + invite friends = drinking. How much effort was that? Compare it to… Coming up with a theme + coordinating with the schedule of the entire fraternity and other sororities + preparing the party house for 100 or more people/or getting a huge space + getting music, drinks, and snack food + planning “risk control” for the party + everyone dressing up = some drinking, a lot of social interaction. That’s no common denominator.</p>
<p>Not going to respond to your personal attacks. :/</p>
<p>Okay, so as a brother in a fraternity I will say that nothing bad happens at Fraternity parties. It can depend on which house it is and usually you can hear about specific reputations regarding specific houses. If you would think something bad will happen then bring a few friends with you like most people would. If you think that something beyond extraordinary is going to happen then don’t go.</p>
<p>When you get to campus, you will learn the reputations of each fraternity. You will find out which ones have the sleezy guys that you don’t want to party with. Stay away from those. You will probably also learn about the jerks each one has. Stay away from those guys. I liked someone else’s advice about going to each one’s parties and seeing if you feel comfortable before drinking with them.</p>
<p>I personally think that things are more likely to happen at random house parties. Of all the bad situations I’ve heard of, only ONE has happened at a frat party. The rest of them were all at house parties. I’m not saying that you should let your guard down because of this…</p>
<p>amanahill–I’m pretty sure OSUcowboys is talking about Oklahoma State, not Ohio.</p>
<p>You can go to frat parties (or any college parties) and still have fun. It’s your choice whether or not you want to be one of those girls who stumbles around drunk, giggling and hanging on every boy nearby. You can still go to parties with a group of friends and just dance, meet some interesting people on the dance floor.</p>
<p>Son of Opie is right. Guys are opportunistic, and a cute drunk girl that can barely stand on the dance floor is up for grabs. So don’t let yourself be one of those.</p>
<p>Osucowboys, the problems with your pro-Greek defenses are that things are not like your school at EVERY school. I obviously have nothing wrong with the Greek system since I’m in a sorority. But the fact lies that yes, a Greek party (and I mean a PARTY- not a social, like you are describing… socials are completely different) is just as dangerous as a regular party. At most schools.</p>
<p>At my school, frats and sororities have socials every month. They’re themed, you dress up, you bring a date, etc… you go there on a bus. Those aren’t really dangerous at all because you’re going with someone you know. But those are not what I, or most people, think of when I hear Greek PARTY. </p>
<p>There is no frat housing at my school - they just have lodges that are SOLELY there for the purpose of them to have parties at. The lodges are all grouped together, on campus, and EVERY WEEKEND the lodges are open and that’s where EVERYONE goes to party. You don’t have to be on a list, and as many guys can get in as they want. Anyone can get in. All the frats have to do is put some music on a CD, buy beer, and… oh wait… that’s it. There’s no coordination, because sometimes all the lodges are open at once. And you obviously don’t bring a date.</p>
<p>That is a totally different scene than a social because it is essentially one big drunken grind fest, blacklights, NOBODY is talking to each other whatsoever. No social interaction.</p>
<p>Just thought I would clarify that this is the case at a lot of schools besides yours.</p>
<p>Does every Greek party involves dressing up and extensive planning, or even a majority of them? You can’t be serious. And themed parties happen inside and outside of the Greek system (surprise!). “They aren’t frequented by the same class of people that attend Greek events.” Surely you’re joking. And let’s be clear here, in college, an event =/= a party. You’re seriously confusing the two. And I don’t mean to assume too much here, but I think you have this ideal Revenge of the Nerds/Animal House scenario going where toga parties and crazy scenarios of the like only occur at Greek houses. </p>
<p>You’re arguing in such a roundabout way it’s strange. And I don’t see how you could possibly make the assumption that the Greek environment is somehow a safer environment for unsafe practices than otherwise, especially when the system is so inherently political and hierarchal that the chances of a wrongdoing being exposed is incredibly slim, and just like at every other party, everyone is young and drunk. I think you’re assuming that these events where you must bring a date is a situation somehow applicable to all other parties. </p>
<p>Are you in college? </p>
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<p>Do you really believe that all parties outside of the Greek system are a game on TV + cartons of beer + invite friends? Again, you can’t drum up this false picture of the non-Greek party scene and then compare it to rare themed events.</p>
<p>I say bad things can happen at just about any party. Though sometimes frat parties may be safer ( and ofcourse not in all cases) they are on campus… though then again lots of things happen on campus. So as likely being an adult ( 18+), you’ll probably do non worse at other parties ( not really sure, 17 years old).</p>
<p>No offense to the person who is arguing that Greek Life is sophisticated, but as much goes into planning a Greek kegger as a house party kegger. Picking a theme takes five seconds (let’s face it, it’s always Toga or Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes anyway), and dressing up is the responsibility of each person going to the party. </p>
<p>I can’t agree with the people saying Frat parties are as safe as or safer than house parties. There is an important difference between the two. People throw house parties to have fun, boost their reputation, and make money. No guy who has any connection to reality throws a party and thinks he’s automatically going to get laid. People join Frats thinking from the start they’re going to be in this close brotherhood of guys that throw amazing parties and get any girls they want. You know that picture of frats you have in your head, even before going to college, as places for guys to get laid by ditzy girls who want to be the cool ones on campus? That’s what all the brothers had in their head when they joined, and it’s what they have in their head throwing their parties. Unfortunately a lot of girls play along, and the ones who don’t get caught up in the atmosphere.</p>
<p>I agree with your perception of house parties. There is a huge difference between the frat events I’ve been to and the random house parties I’ve been to.</p>
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<p>Kellie, we’re not arguing against each other! I’m just arguing that Greek parties are not MORE dangerous than regular parties. Honestly there’s no difference in a house party if it’s held by non-Greeks, Greeks, or aliens. House parties are house parties.</p>
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<p>Hmm yeah that is different. At my school the Greek houses are considered on-campus so Freshman are allowed to live there, unlike at other schools, but at the same time since it’s “on-campus” we can’t ever have alcohol in the house. There’s the Tri-Deltas at OSU and I swear everytime I go in that sorority house I’m afraid I’ll get wasted by drinking the water, but aside from them…everybody follows the IFC/PH rules to a tee. </p>
<p>Almost all frats own party houses in this one neighborhood south of campus which has cute historic 2-story homes with open floors on the bottom and bedrooms on the 2nd floor. Any parties with alcohol go on in the party house neighborhood, not the Greek District. The first party I went to was a Lambda Chi shindig and the cops were harassing all of the frats that night…which happens frequently. Every frat has a system of designated drivers, one person to watch for suspicious activity, and so on.</p>
<p>That’s just what I’ve gotten used to…which does seem very different than how Richmond does it.</p>
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<p>No, that’s you. I’ve been to toga parties and had a good, safe time. Maybe I had a bit to drink but I definitely wasn’t wasted and taken advantage of some “poor designated freshman groupie” or whatever. Revenge of the Nerds? Animal House? Howabout neither. I’m just beginning to think me and you will never comprehend *** the other is saying.</p>
<p>And I said I wouldn’t answer your personal attacks, but I’ll answer the one you keep asking 5 or 6 times: No I’m not in college, I’m actually a 9th grader who gets on chat boards when mommy lets me loose on the Internet just to argue with older big kids so that hopefully someday I may be one of them.</p>
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<p>I don’t think you would know a Greek social event if you saw one. The themed parties happen a lot more than you think. Each frat has at least one, once a month, so when you have a huge campus with 20-30 frats on campus…that’s a lot of date parties almost every other night of the week, since they will try and coordinate them with other sororities or maybe even another friendly frat, or maybe even try and get non-Greeks to come. Maybe you should try taking the Greeks on your campus, assuming you are in college, up on their hospitality and experience one of the better parties for yourself. It’s pretty apparent that you have no idea what you are talking about here. Just another non-Greek trying to demean the existence of Greeks.</p>
<p>“Just another non-Greek trying to demean the existence of Greeks.”</p>
<p>Seriously, kid? Parties (yes, even THEMED parties) would and do exist without a group of guys designated to throw them. You’re not even arguing for the community service that frats perform (which can be accomplished by joining a service club directly). All frats do is add exclusivity and drama to parties. Fraternities are a tradition and they get money from Universities to throw parties, so kudos and have fun with it. But let’s not pretend that frats are serving any noble purpose that can be “demeaned.”</p>
<p>You keep extolling how Greeks have great themed parties. I argued that these parties exist outside of the Greek system as well. What are you arguing about?</p>
<p>Me asking you if you’re in college is not a personal attack, it’s me trying to understand where you’re coming from, because you seem to have real misconceptions about the college party structure.</p>
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<p>Maybe on your campus that’s the case because of a massive frat scene, but on ours and the other 6 campuses I’ve been on the frat system has been sporadic themed parties with weekly house-style parties. Nothing to exactly brag about. </p>
<p>And for someone that considers himself above personal attacks, you sure enjoy throwing them out at people.</p>
<p>Hey I haven’t thrown out any personal attacks, despite that we speak a completely different language. You keep asking me if I’m in college as if I’m some high school kid with no idea, then you suggested Revenge of the Nerds or whatever. If that’s a movie like Animal House is, I didn’t see it…just another statement to take with a grain of salt. If my tone isn’t flattering I can’t help it, yours isn’t either.</p>
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<p>But there aren’t. At least I know what we’re arguing over…the poster is asking how dangerous frat parties are, I and everyone else that is Greek says no, you and everyone else that is not Greek says yes stay away from the big bad Greeks. Then I started off on this tangent of how much more advanced the Greek system’s socials are, which I didn’t realize was a debatable concept, and now we’ve just gotten to the point that I say something, then you argue saying the opposite and ask me if I’m even in college. Better question, JackM, is what “6” colleges have you been to? </p>
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<p>Well I wanted to bring up better points about the Greek scene, especially the philanthropy, but when I was typing and thinking there was no way I could make it relevant to the topic at hand, which is asking how big and bad the Greeks’ social scene is. It’s not asking if the Greeks do good things on campuses across the country, or if there are good reasons to join one. </p>
<p>I still don’t think it’s relevant to this thread, but you can start a different thread where I’d be glad to entertain that debate…it might be fun. I mean, I don’t really get in front of a screen to yammer on about how great Greek houses are for my health…it really is fun to debate with people. Just would be nice if people would be polite/coherent/nice.</p>
<p>Where in any of my posts have I said anything other than what I started the discussion about how dangerous frats were, with: “People are people, everywhere.”</p>
<p>We were arguing that your first post featured a number of gross and misleading exaggerations.</p>
<p>WHAT?!?! That’s not even arguable! Of course there are, you probably just don’t see them because you’re always at your own parties.</p>
<p>And I brought up the service because I was surprised the parties alone were enough for you to tout the Greek system as a miracle, I’m not really interested in debating it.</p>