<p>The</a> Rant - InsideVandy: Opinion</p>
<p>An article recently posted on the Inside Vandy website about life on campus as an independent. I'm just glad that it's not as bad for non-greek girls on campus as it is for guys.</p>
<p>Maybe he’s just a little too focused on greeks, they are not the only culture. There are many options, some he listed, greek is not always the best influence on people’s lives.</p>
<p>but deep inside every GDI wants to be a part of that culture whether he will admit it or not.</p>
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<p>This is one young man’s opinion. This is not true of “every” GDI. </p>
<p>If you feel that you are on the outside looking in, things can be lonely. However, the truth is that there are many guys at Vandy who do not feel that they are on the outside looking in. Faline, who posts here often, has an S whose experience as a young man at Vandy has been one that defines another reality … he IS on the “inside” … HIS inside, where he wants to be. My D had many male friends at Vandy who did not have a desire to be defined by greek letters, because they were defined by their own social network.</p>
<p>It’s kind of like the cool kids in high school. If you wanted to be cool but weren’t, you wished you could be like them. If you weren’t worried about being like those cool kids, you didn’t feel a need to fit in with them. </p>
<p>I hope the rant-er finds a sense of self that allows him to enjoy his situation.</p>
<p>Yeah, I saw that Rant. And there are more girls that go Greek than guys…at Vandy.
One guy’s experience? So many Vandy students were hyperfocused students in high school these days with these higher stats as the norm. I enjoyed reading about the Top 20 Seniors announced last week after making it past nominations and group interviews --with many different community interests and contributions on campus and I enjoyed reading about the Ingram Scholar who made a documentary on the plight of 9mth workers on campus. If you want a college with No Greeks…there are some good private school options out there. I have a Greek Duke grad son and a non Greek son at Vandy…and Nashville is a lot more fun for non Greeks than many college host towns.</p>
<p>Echoing kelsmom’s & Faline2’s comments. '06 S just married over Labor Day. His 6 attendants were his true and fast friends from his undergrad years, all suite mates at some point. This wonderful group of young men came from all over the country (LA, Boston, Boulder, St. Louis, Atlanta, and somewhere in NJ) to Chattanooga to celebrate with us. S has been to 3 of their weddings and was an attendant in 2 of them. I don’t try to keep up with what they are all doing now, but there is one who graduated from NROTC as a procurement officer and who is beginning an MBA now and 2 physicians among the group. S is an attorney. These young men were involved in Habitat and lots of other campus activities and I doubt any of them feels they missed something by not being Greek. I know S doesn’t feel that way. Are they as close as D is to her sorority sisters? Maybe not quite, but I would attribute that to gender differences, as opposed to Greek affiliation.
My other comment would be that I watched both S’s undergrad girlfriend and D lose interest in Greek life later in their undergrad careers. I don’t think that’s atypical. S’s girlfriend ended up de-activating and D just kind of hung in there during the last year as most of her good friends had graduated. As well, once students turn 21 and can go downtown, things change.</p>
<p>What are we supposed to take away from this article? This student probably should have gone Greek and decided not to. Rather than change his mind and rush again, he chose to sit longingly on the sidelines. </p>
<p>Some people fit in really well with the Greek system. Some people are much happier as independents. Everyone is different. There are so many "GDI"s who find their niche elsewhere on campus and have zero interest in the Greek community. There are also people who rush or pledge in the Greek system and drop because they realize it’s not for them.</p>
<p>If you feel like an outsider as in independent, you can still rush again. There’s also a LOT more to do than just the Greek system.</p>
<p>As a male independent, you do often get left out of the Greek social scene-- unless you have good friends in a fraternity in which case you can pretty easily participate. </p>
<p>Otherwise, of course you get left out. And rightfully so. Brothers in fraternities dedicate a lot of their time and money into organizing and funding social events. If you aren’t good friends with a brother and have no interest in their house other than to use it for your own advantage, they have little motivation to let you in.</p>
<p>Hmm. I’m wondering what OP had in mind when she said “everyone should read this”. What’s your perspective? Do you have any guidance for prospects? (My son is applying for '13; Vandy is one of his top choices. A couple of his female friends are applying as well.)</p>
<p>I am not in a frat nor do I plan to ever join one. I think it is just a matter of personal preference. If you don’t mind finding your own group of friends you will be fine. You can go out and do many things without getting involved in Greek life.</p>
<p>As a current Vandy undergrad (male, no greek affiliation), I can say with confidence that this article does not accurately reflect the opinions of most guys here on campus. </p>
<p>Being in a frat is completely a matter of your own preference. Most of my friends are not, nor do we want to be. Some want to be, and some are.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to be in a frat here, you won’t implicitly feel lonely or excluded, as the author here seems to imply.</p>