<p>so whose rushing this year? if you are, why is being a member of a frat/sorority important to you? If you're not, any particular reason why, or is it just not your thing. I'm interested in seeing some other people's opinions on this.</p>
<p>alisone05 are you going to be going through recruitment?</p>
<p>I always thought that Greek life was lame. Yeah, they're useful social outlets but the whole thing just seems stupid to me. So yes, I am not rushing this fall.</p>
<p>I have greek friends, so I can get into that scene if I want, but it's not really for me.</p>
<p>and I still don't understand the benefit of hazing.</p>
<p>I'm not rushing. Some of my friends have been in sororities and it seems very restricting and controlling. You spend A LOT of time and money on sorority events and are supposed to make it a priority over everything else... it doesn't make sense to me to join and possibly live with a group of people who are supposed to be your "sisters" even though you don't even know them and won't be friends with or even like a lot of them. it seemed like a fun idea at first but if you think about it, its just a bunch of girls forming a cliche like in high school so they can fit in somewhere, i think by college people should mature and move beyond that.
if you really want to rush, you should visit or talk to girls in real life, not during rush, and get a better idea of what the sorority is really like.</p>
<p>I'm not, I've always thought it was a lame waste of time...</p>
<p>Same here. I never understood the point of a fraternity or sorority other than a social outlet.</p>
<p>Although it seems to be a major thing at my school, it's just not my thing, plus having to find free time will probably not be possible (with school work/job). So I'm not rushing.</p>
<p>Joining a sorority was one of the best decisions that I made while attending my major state university. I love all of the girls that I live with and I do consider them my sisters. Some houses you may not get that feeling but if you join the right one for you, you will have some of the best memories! I MISS ALL OF MY SISTERS!!! You should at least experience it to see if it is for you, because you never know until you try!!!!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Same here. I never understood the point of a fraternity or sorority other than a social outlet.
[/quote]
</p>
<ol>
<li>Somewhere to live.</li>
<li>Living with people who share similar interests.</li>
<li>Having secret handshakes is fun.</li>
</ol>
<p>Seriously, everyone who is knocking greek life has never tried it. I didn't join until my junior year because I just didn't feel like it before then. But I never bashed it before that. Greek life appeals to some, is repugnent to others, just don't bash something you've never tried, or before you've gotten to know the people involved with it.</p>
<p>I was planning on rushing then got my schedule..organic chemistry + Calc II + frat = academic probation possibly :(</p>
<p>if i lived on campus i would probably rush. seems kinda fun with all the parties and events they throw and stuff.</p>
<p>i think people who knock it are just jealous</p>
<p>When I was in high school, I thought Greeks were a bunch of silly snobs and the thought of joining a sorority was just about as realistic to me as dropping out of school and running off to join the circus. Then, my boyfriend went to college a year ahead of me and unexpectedly pledged a fraternity. At first, I was furious with him for wasting his time in one of those "silly frats" and doing something that I was convinced would spell doom for our relationship. However, when I saw the kind of friendships he formed and the enjoyment and sense of place he got from his fraternity, my perspective began to change. Now I'm an officer in my sorority, and while sorority life is not one hundred percent parties and fun, I've found it to be a pretty valuable experience on many different levels (and my relationship with my boyfriend is just as strong if not stronger, to quell fears about fraternities and sororities automatically destroying relationships). I'd really encourage anyone who is slightly interested to rush - there is no commitment, and if you go to the houses and see what it's all about for yourself, you'll never wonder "what if?".</p>
<p>Not to be mean here, but it sounds like to me it's just a way of "buying your friends". I'm open for anyone to disagree with me if they wish of course but I would really like a good explanation as to what the goal/purpose of a frat/sorority is.</p>
<p>Greek life seems like it could be useful for getting a job later and establishing connections. I know a DKE who is convinced he'll be able to get a job right out of law school based on his DKE connections. And of course, if you've seen Legally Blonde 2, you know the benefits...</p>
<p>adconard, you will find that many clubs that you want to join in college require membership dues. Certainly they are not as steep as fraternity and sorority dues can be, but there are financial obligations for almost any group. You're not buying your friends any more than you would be by joining the pre law society or the marching band (yes, many schools' marching bands require dues payments!). What you're getting for your money is a home away from home on campus (if you are at a campus with houses), meals, significantly cheaper housing than what you can get in the dorms or apartments (again for campuses with houses), social activities, leadership opportunities (believe it or not, sororities and fraternities are like businesses, some with very large budgets, and they require qualified people to run them efficiently), connections with other people in your national sorority or fraternity (sounds hokey but I know people who have actually gotten set up with jobs because they connected with the women in my sorority in the city to which they were moving), etc. The purpose is whatever you choose to make of it. That sounds trite, but it's really true. I like to go out but I'm not a party animal, so I enjoy my officer position and the interactions with the chapter's executive board that come with it, meals with friends I've made (it's not any more artificial to make friends with sorority sisters or fraternity brothers as it is to make friends with the kids on your hall), the occasional cocktail or mixer, and just hanging out at the house, watching TV or hanging out in my friends' rooms, etc. Other sisters go to all the cocktails and parties and not much else; others take their officer positions really seriously or get really involved in the academic excellence committee - most fall somewhere in between.</p>
<p>That probably didn't change your mind since it seems that most anti/pro Greek people are pretty set in their opinions (I've found more and more that my complete change of heart is the exception rather than the rule). Just thought I'd try to attempt a rebuttal at the "buying your friends" stereotype.</p>
<p>But see I join other clubs like the tennis club, raquetball, or say the philosophy club because I am interested in trying out those things or want to do those activities while meeting new people. See with fraternities and sororities, no one has anything in common except the group they are in. Maybe I'm still seeing this wrong, but in my opinion the best way to meet people is through other clubs and maybe your classes. Because most of the time you already share something in common with that other person instead of meeting some random guy in a fraternity that could or could not end up being anything like you. Not that people have to be like you, but usually better friendships and connections are established when people have more to talk about with each other other than the usual 'what's your major' or something to do with the fraternity, etc. But like I said I might still be missing something here.</p>
<p>but those benefits are higly overstated.</p>
<p>Frats at different schools can be VERY different and when its the frat at your school, you might as well just make connections with people. </p>
<p>You are far better off trying to make some real connections through internships and instructors rather than relying on the greek system</p>
<p>i'm the undecided person. Iono if i'm the sorority type or not. If i join i would like to join a coed one because i don't like to hang out w/ one gender too much.</p>
<p>iono how much money i'll hvae to spend on a sorority. i'm worried because i'm a frugal person.</p>
<p>also how much time is required to be in one? i'm doing psychology and premed. is it gonna be hard?</p>
<p>"You are far better off trying to make some real connections through internships and instructors rather than relying on the greek system"</p>
<p>That's not as easy as you must think it is. Especially at a school where you're in 150 person lectures, it's very difficult to get to know professors on a personal level, especially if you're not extroverted. When you are shy, it is very difficult to make a big campus smaller, and sometimes, pledging (and thus "buying your friends," if you choose to look at it that way, although it's not like you're forbidden from being friends with Greeks just because you're not in their houses) can add that extra social boost that people need. By the way, if you saw a breakdown of exactly where sorority/fraternity dues go, you might not be so quick with the "buying your friends" argument (meaning, money doesn't just disappear into some unknown coffer never to be seen again, but hey, you've got friends now!).</p>
<p>I think there will always be a fundamental schism between people who agree with Greek life and people who don't. Franky, the fact that so many non Greeks are so adamantly opposed to it and are so willingly vocal with their opposition is mystifying to me. There are lots of groups whose missions I disagree with at my college, but I live and let live unless they are harming me directly, which hasn't happened yet. What is it about the Greek system that makes it impossible for people to say to themselves, "It's not for me, but if that's what they want to do, good for them - I'll go join the tennis club"? Sure, they're exclusive, but many clubs require auditions or an interview process - some of them actually even go so far as to call it "rush"! Many clubs require dues - what tangible benefit are you getting from paying to join the student booster club so you can wear a special t-shirt and cheer for the football team (and I doubt you can name any that are any less "highly overstated" than what I named)? Anyway, didn't mean to get on a rant, but I don't really understand why non Greeks so often seem to feel the need to vehemently express their negative opinions about Greek life while other "controversial" student groups don't seem to garner nearly as much scrutiny. Life is short - if you enjoy something, why does it have to have an immediate, tangible purpose or benefit besides that enjoyment?</p>