Do bad things really happen at Frat parties?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>It’s best to stick with your friends. You will be able to watch each others backs, moniter each other to make sure you aren’t drinking too much, and walk back to dorms in groups. I’m a guy so I don’t drink the fruity/jungle juice style drinks which are there mostly for the girls who don’t tend to like beer. But sometimes they can be very alcoholic, and you won’t be able to taste how strong it is due to the flavor. What seems like a fruit punch without much alcohol will hit you all of a sudden. Greek or non-greek, the best bet is to just use common sense. I personally wouldn’t recommend drinking any open container drink. With a beer can/bottle you know it hasn’t been open or tampered with in anyway. Now that doesn’t mean every open container drink may be spiked or tampered with, but it’s just a control thing. You have control of you beverage and you will likely have greater knowledge of how much alcohol you are actually consuming. And keep your drink on you. If you have to leave it unattended for whatever reason, just go get another. The beer usually isn’t that expensive and won’t matter. </p>

<p>In my opinion greek parties are slighty safer, other than the parties prior to greek rush, the only guys that are going to be at those parties are fraternity members. So you’ll know what guys are there. God forbid something actually happens, but if it does pointing out possible offenders will be easier from a pool of guys from the frat, than some dude at a house party, which may let anyone in for a fee. The brothers can be easier to pinpoint for sactions, and may lose their house, which will deter them from doing anything that’ll get them in serious trouble. But it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. If you are going to a house party then know whose house/apt it is, if it’s just some party your friend heard about, but you don’t know anyone there, then anything (such as alcohol) clouding your judgement isn’t smart. </p>

<p>As far as stories go they are hard to decide who is at fault. I’ve heard many stories where the girl is supposedly raped. That likely has happened as peoples judgements are hindered when they are drunk and may do things they shouldn’t. But on the other side, I’ve heard many stories of girls calling rape. I went to a huge party school my freshman year and there would be girls at parties that would be very sexually forward and brag about how much attention they can get and get blackout drunk, sleep with someone. They’d wake-up not remembering what they did due to how drunk they got, by they own will, and regret what they did and call ‘rape’.</p>

<p>Just be smart and watch what/how much you drink. Pace yourself particually if you haven’t had much alcohol exposure.</p>

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<p>That’s a well-put post. How about we just stick to what we can agree on in this thread…which I think the above post is pretty agreeable, since it wasn’t posted by me lol.</p>

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<p>There is no greek life at my university but I happen to be rooming with an American frat boy whilst abroad here.</p>

<p>Let me just say - I do not hold a positive view of the greek system or greek life.</p>

<p>I mean, why do frat houses exist? Why do people join them?</p>

<p>My immediate response is that people either join them to make insta-friends, suggesting that they are inept to make friends naturally, or they are joining them to be “cool” or trying to elevate their social status, also lame in my opinion.</p>

<p>I don’t picture any cool guys when I picture a frat guy - I picture an astoundingly average male, a “follower,” who wants “one college experience please” and doesn’t really like rocking the boat much. He is desperate to get laid, perhaps even more visibly desperate than the average college male. In itself this wouldn’t bother me, but I can imagine the “subculture” that the “bros” form, like – man that was sick nasty, and yeah g, you’re a playa, and other inane b.s. I hear my current roommate spouting on the phone to his “brothers.” Just seems like a rather infantile treehouse club to me, ironically enough with “no girls allowed.” Count me out, please.</p>

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<p>Refried beans?</p>

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<p>honestly, if you say “whilst” in everyday conversation they probably don’t want you.</p>

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<p>“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.”
ahaha if you had said that earlier you could have saved pages of arguing.
peter_parker you should be more open minded, you could enjoy being in a frat if you give it a shot, also you seem horribly misinformed.</p>

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<p>i haven’t read all of these replies… but i know from close personal friends that things definitely go down at parties… meaning anyone can put anything in your drink at anytime. no matter how much you think you can, you really can’t trust anybody after meeting them one night. better to be safe than sorry!
I’m not trying to scare you, parties are a lot of fun if you’re smart about it! Try having a friend that you can check in with every once in a while so you both know the other one is okay.
Have fun :)</p>

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<p>Of course bad things happen at frat parties, but if you are careful and take care of yourself, you should be fine. I went to a couple of frat parties during my undergrad tenure. Always watch your drink; get a new one if you leave it out of your sight; don’t let anyone make you a drink without you watching them make it. If you feel like you’re about to pass out, grab one of your friends and say you want to go home. Don’t attempt to go home by yourself. Learn your alcohol limits and adhere by them; if you know you generally pass out after the 6th drink, don’t have a 6th drink. If you’re somewhere where you don’t know most of the people, don’t get blackout drunk.</p>

<p>You know…common sense stuff. You get better at it after having gone to a few.</p>

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<p>pete_parker: The organizations are greek letter organizations because they were founded on Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, Chapter 8, Regarding Frienship. Frat houses thus exist to help facilitate the formation of “Perfect Friendships”, as:</p>

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<p>lol yeah. i’m sure all the bros are down with aristotle . . .</p>

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<p>Honestly, this thread more or less is like getting to the point of insulting the Greek community itself. If you don’t really want to respect the community or the houses then don’t even go to the houses for parties. If it weren’t for fraternities, many of you would probably be affected by not being able to have a place to hang out and drink. Fraternities also isn’t all about parties, there are many great things that come out such as philanthrophy events that raise a ton of money. If your a GDI then don’t event post on this thread since obviously you would bash the Greek community itself. If you think joining the “brotherhood” is pretty ■■■■■■■■ and gay then I’m more or less sure that you honestly have no social life. Many of you may hate the Greek community due to an incident with a house such as not receiving a bid. Honestly, the Greek community doesn’t get the respect that they honestly should be receiving. But, honestly wherever you go to for a party, something will happen. If you went to a private house/apartment party I’m sure something bad can happen, if you went to a bar I’m sure girls would be taken advantage of when they are intoxicated. Basically, any party regardless of the location will be the same. The only difference will be the scene itself such as the environment, amount of people, drinks available but everything else would be pretty much the same.</p>

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<p>I am not anti-Greek, but I am anti-Greek hubris.</p>

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<p>Lol, you form cool kids’ clubs, and then expect those who didn’t get in to “pay their respect”. Fraternities and sororities get plenty of respect.</p>

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<p>I’m no social butterfly, so don’t look at me as an example, but there are a lot of people doing just fine socially without having paid for their friends . . .</p>

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I go to a school without any greek life or equivalent. and guess what? we find plenty of opportunities to have crazy parties. The greek system is definitely not necessary for parties.</p>

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<p>^ Yeah really…I go to college in Manhattan and like 2% of students are in frats, because there’s no need for them. The social scene revolves around the city, around bars, lounges, clubs, pubs, and apartment parties. I think city colleges generally aren’t big on the Greek system.</p>

<p>Greek life becomes important if you’re in a rural college, but everyone’s gonna drink and have parties regardless, and there’s dozens of community service clubs and volunteer opportunities on campus. The real point of a Frat or Sorority is for the feeling of brotherhood or sisterhood that must come from living together and being part of an exclusive club, but I don’t think it’s more dangerous or risky than any other party. So I wouldn’t worry about “bad things” happening at frat parties as long as you use common sense. I still kind of don’t get the point of frats though - why do you need to pay to have friends, drink and do community service? :confused: I mean everyone else is doing that stuff for free.</p>

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<p>I rushed, and received two bids, turned both down. Rush was all I needed to see that those (brothers) thought that they were the hierarchy on campus and should be worshiped. College is not just about “that crazy party last night that if you weren’t at you suck at life”. I’ve attended plenty of crazy parties, doesn’t make me any better than the other 50,000 on my campus who have done the same. And this is at a campus that’s Greek Life doesn’t make up a significant percentage of the undergraduate population.</p>

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<p>I’m greek. We are not owed any “respect”. We DO have undue hate spewed at us. We also have plenty of entirely valid complaints spewed at us, due to the relatively high percentage of d-bags in some houses (not mine). Greeks can fill important roles on campus, but they are by no means the only way or hte only option, or even the best one.</p>

<p>I was very anti-Greek when I got here, and joined only because I really liked the brothers I met. In fact, I only even showed up to the first rush events because my good friend from HS basically begged me to come to his house + free food.</p>

<p>Houses derive their value merely from the fact that their members enjoy them. They can improve people like their ideals state their missions. I’ve become a much less judgmental, much more social person thanks to my house. I’ve also learned more about how to manage an organization and work with people of sharply different views. All things I could have learned in other clubs, yes, but it was accelerated by the fact that my brothers are my close friends, and thus need an extra helping of care when I’m dealing with tense situations.</p>

<p>For whatever reason, the members of greek houses, at least on my cmapus, tend to dominate the rest of the campus’ organizations too in leadership positions. This may simply be the nature of self selection, but that means you get to be in a very well connected organization on campus to the leadership. I know I’ve been offered the financial directorship of a major campus production twice by brothers leaving the position, and was also given an in for another financial director position for a HUGE campus event. (Disclaimer: I didn’t actually take the job on any of those.)</p>

<p>You don’t “pay for your friends.” They’re already your friends when you join- you pay for access to the house/ facilities, and to put money into a fund for collective spending. Spending together makes things cheaper and possible, i.e. you and your small group of friends might go out to a nice dinner at a steakhouse. We go out to a nice dinner at a country club, with a DJ, and buses, and commemorative glasses, etc. Collective bargaining/spending is a huge reason for fraternities to exist. And in the end, at least for me, what I spend on the meal plan and dues at my fraternity is about what I’d likely end up spending in a given quarter on social events anyway (ok, that one’s not likely true, it’s definitely more expensive, but then, left to my own devices, I wouldn’t be doing nearly half the cool things that I do).</p>

<p>As an example, my house spends something like 15% of it’s annual budget (that’s a lot of money) in a 5 day span between our Formal and a huge rafting trip we do every year. I wouldn’t be able to afford any of that on my own, but through a group, it becomes possible.</p>

<p>Back to the original topic: Yes, bad things do happen in fraternities during parties. Unlike what some might tell you, they are not magical fairy lands protected by ancient runes and the will of angels. But nothing worse than what happens at any other party. They’re not malevolent hell-pits either. And you ARE less likely to die of alcohol poisoning at them, because there’s more at stake for them collectively, and because their members ARE trained and do manage risk.</p>

<p>To those that think they hate greek life but have no experience of it: shut up. You’re a bigot. Go check it out for yourself, or better yet, just lay off and live your own damn life. We’re not drinking your free beer and then spitting it in your face. </p>

<p>To those that hate greek life for specific reasons directly relating to them: Good for you, you made your own opinions. Now shut up and let other people make their own.</p>

<p>And to those of you that think the greek system is the aforementioned magical fairy land?</p>

<p>Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP. You make things worse, and you’re either deluding yourself or lying to others. Nothing in the world is perfect, and greek life isn’t “better” than any other facet of undergraduate life. It’s just a great thing for some people. Anal sex is a great thing for some people too, but it doesn’t mean its “better” than any other kind, nor does it mean I expect anyone to try it.</p>

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<p>I know–the attitude “if you ain’t Greek, you ain’t much” that Jimgotkp was bringing to the discussion just got to me.</p>

<p>I shouldn’t have been so snippy about your Nichomachean Ethics bit, but to portray social fraternities as benevolent organizations and their members as classical scholars ehhhh. I think you’d agree with me that it’s mostly just about having a good time.</p>

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<p>Chill. Out.
It’s not that serious. Now the plight of penguins: very serious.</p>