<p>I'll be going to Wake Forest next year and I was wondering about the rush and pledging process of joining a sorority. A few questions if anyone could answer them:
How are the people treated that don't decide to join? Does it become very cliquish where people refuse to talk to you if you are a so and so or if your not a so and so? How's the hazing? Is there a dry (no drinking) pledge option? Basically any information would be helpful. Thanks so much.</p>
<p>I am a recent alumna who was not Greek, but I’ll try at least get started on your questions… </p>
<p>First of all, you probably already know this, but rush doesn’t happen until second semester freshman year (you’d come back a week early from winter break), so you have time to make friends independent of their Greek affiliation. I think this is good because people tend to stay friends even if they end up in different sororities - I lived in a suite with a group of five sophomore girls that were all in a different sorority, yet they all were friends. Can’t speak much to the hazing or drinking issue, however.</p>
<p>Hope that helps a little bit :)</p>
<p>As a student who just partcipated in rush, I will just recommend to not post questions about Greek Life on boards like this. The Greek Community does not look favorably toward it, and you never know if someone can figure out who you are on this website. It is way too early to wonder about these types of matters – you will find out a lot of this when you come in the Fall and meet some upperclassmen in the Greek community who you can befriend and they will be happy to explain some of the stuff.</p>
<p>Independents are treated fine at Wake, especially if you are a girl. You should still be able to get into many parties. Some people become cliquish – some not. People who do are not worth your time. Many of my friends are independents, and I went out with all of them out-of-town this weekend even though I had a lot of events with Greek. Most people will have some close friends who do not get into a Greek organization, and if they are real friends – they would remain friends regardless of their Greek affiliation or lack thereof. </p>
<p>There is an option to pledge dry, and no one will force you to drink if you wish not to.</p>
<p>Oh, and Independents are treated fine. There will always be a cocky a**hole who feels they are above Independents, but that will be found anywhere. For the most part, the campus is pretty inclusive, and many non-Greek students can participate in Greek-affiliated activities if they wish to do so (ie: you can get invited to a date function, a formal, pregames, etc as an Independent )</p>
<p>WFU_Student2013, that was a great answer. You are so right, one will always find the occasional rude person. My son did not join a fraternity, but has just as many friends in them. I think when it was all going on, he felt a little torn about it all, but ultimately decided to do what felt most comfortable.</p>
<p>lol. Pretending like they’ll hunt a person down for asking a question on a message board is absurd and silly. Lame on Greeks, but they are right that it really sn’t cool to ask such a question in this type of forum.</p>
<p>The truth of the matter is that the pledge process at Wake will cause you to become lesser friends with 25-50% of the people you were friends with first semester. This happens whether you pledge or not. It creates a strange dynamic as you awkwardly continue to run into former friends for the next 3 years.</p>
<p>I believe that WFU2013 the above responder is truly oblivious to the fact that Wake Forest is mostly Greek in terms of social life. Why be called “Independents” for the lack of reason not to join the Greek system at Wake. It is also true what kvilledeac mentions that one will have lesser friends at the beginning of second semester. Also, the social outlook at Wake is Greek dominant, so I think that for the “Independents”, they are left in the dark when the “Others” are at the lounges. Although the Greek system is based on the qualities of “sisterhood” and “brotherhood” while participating in community service (which is an excellent thing!), some Wake Students, in my view, are very ignorant of other groups and to diversity. If you are not preppy, then I feel as if one is not allowed to join a fraternity and sorority. I had first hand experience when a friend of mine invited me to join her to a frat lounge. The experience was horrible. I will not go into detail. And on the aspect of drinking, there is no such thing as a “dry policy”. There are some consequences regarding one’s intention to join the Greek system at universities such as Wake. I am not degrading the Greek system, I am just writing in terms of my view of being at Wake for almost a semester and half. I believe the truth behind the Greek system needs to be foretold in a manner that is not degrading, but tells the ugly truth behind the system.</p>
<p>2013Student, as a member of what is considered a “top” Greek organization on this campus, I have to disagree with you on a couple things. The only reason why I mention my organization is a “top” one is because I feel a lot of the negative stereotypes about Greek life stem mostly from what people perceive “top” organizations do and behave. I can assure you that I know there are Sororities and Fraternities on this campus which allow a member to pledge dry, and remain dry their whole time while at the University. I have several older friends in Greek which do not drink at all, and they were not forced to drink while pledging. That said, yes, this is college and most of the social functions, including Greek, will include alcohol. So I can understand why some people who do not drink might find Greek not the best fit, and that is okay.</p>
<p>On the topics of diversity, I will concede that Greek may not be as diverse as the whole campus, but to say that one must be “preppy” to join Greek is not true. I know many “non-preppy” individuals in the Greek community, and when it encompasses 40% of the campus, there is gonna be diversity within the Greek community. Are some organizations more “diverse” than others in terms of socioeconomic, racial, religious, etc. – yes. However, there is always an organization for everyone. I, myself have come from a first-generation college family and I went to low-income public high school, and I do not feel out of place within the Greek Community.</p>
<p>On the topic of Greek and Independents relations on-campus, I think it is unfair to create a blanket statement. I know there are people in my organization which may feel differently about their non-Greek friends now – but, honestly, it is their loss. Greek Life can be a person’s WHOLE social life, or just ONE ASPECT of it. It is up to the individual to decide how big of a deal they want to make it. I personally have chosen only to make it one aspect of my social life, and I continue to treasure my close friends that I made from the first semester, and I plan to continue investing in those friendships while I broaden my social circle via through the Greek Community. Actually, a couple of my friends and I have chosen to live together next year, and half of us are in Greek while the other half are not – we all decided that as friends, living together is more important than living in Greek halls or whatnot. I also have taken out my friends who didn’t rush, and they still have a good time.</p>
<p>Overall, the Greek Community is not perfect, nor am I trying to paint it as such. However, I feel that people should try to give it a fair chance, and realize blanket statements about any organization, including Greek, is not telling the full story.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the information you provided. I was not trying to get the inside scoop on certain sororities or anything like that. I just wanted the basic information which you all did a great job of providing. I appreciate the different perspectives. Thank you.</p>
<p>As a non-Greek recent alumna, I’ll just say that I never felt left ostracized by any of my friends who were in sororities.</p>
<p>Some of the people I was friends with at the beginning of my freshman year, I started to be not-as-good friends with as time went on. I don’t think this was a result of some of them joining sororities. I think this was a result of all of us growing apart and finding friends with whom we had more in common. Of the friends I have kept in regular touch with since graduation, I knew most of them in my freshman year (it’s a small-ish campus), but I was only really good friends with one or two of them during my first year of college.</p>
<p>To reiterate what ginnyvere said, for most students greek life is just another social avenue. Also, as you get older greek life matters less and less. It is the biggest deal when you are a freshman/sophomore.</p>