<p>Not all independents are “critical, pessimistic, and not enjoyable to be around.” First, as godevils2011 said, the section parties are no longer open after first semester, so if you have what appears to be the “mainstream” social nightlife of Duke students, then you do feel pressure to join a frat or SLG (at least I did), as there aren’t many true alternatives. Frats might not outright reject you for not being white, but feeling out-of-place serves as a strong deterrent. In fact, it seems as though most greek minorities are in all-Asian or all-black frats/sororities. On the other hand, I’ve found SLGs here to be a nice option for many.</p>