<p>I want to know the truth about them, I'm legit considering being in a frat but I've only seen or learned about them on TV, so I'd like someone who is currently in one to give me the deets. </p>
<pre><code> 1. Will I actually have to do a bunch of ridiculously disturbing and borderline dangerous tasks just to get in?
2. Am I going to be treated like crap for the first year that I'm in one?
3. Do they only have parties all the time and try and get girls knocked up or drunk out of their minds?
4. Is everyone in a fraternity really some knucklehead jerk that drinks 24/7 wears togas all the time and smashed empty beercans on their foreheads?
5. Do people who arent in Fraternities think everyone who is in one is a total jerk?
<p>It’s an unsatisfying answer, but unfortunately, pandem’s is the only one that is guaranteed to be true for all your questions. Having said that, I can give you my input as an independent at Georgia Tech.</p>
<p>1. Will I actually have to do a bunch of ridiculously disturbing and borderline dangerous tasks just to get in?
The unfortunate answer to this question is that you won’t know until it’s too late. All fraternities that are part of a recognized umbrella organization (eg. IFC, NPHC, etc.) are required to have a “no hazing” rule. It requires a massive suspension of disbelief, however, to believe that the fraternities which cover their windows with newspapers during their initiation weeks aren’t hazing. Blocking their windows guarantees that no one outside will ever know what happens inside. Maybe the brothers are hazing the pledges, or maybe they’re just teaching them the secret handshakes. I can’t prove it either way.</p>
<p>2. Am I going to be treated like crap for the first year that I’m in one?
See above.</p>
<p>3. Do they only have parties all the time and try and get girls knocked up or drunk out of their minds?
What they tell you at rush about promoting character and development is mostly BS. People join frats to have a good time and to build networks, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Frats don’t party all the time, but they do host parties on a regular basis, and there’s no point in downplaying that.</p>
<p>4. Is everyone in a fraternity really some knucklehead jerk that drinks 24/7 wears togas all the time and smashed empty beercans on their foreheads?
Everyone? Of course not. Some? Maybe.</p>
<p>5. Do people who arent in Fraternities think everyone who is in one is a total jerk?
I don’t think everyone who is in a fraternity is a total jerk. I have many friends who are in fraternities. There’s only one guy in a fraternity who I think is a total jerk and quite frankly, he’d be a total jerk even if he wasn’t in a fraternity; it was clearly part of his personality that had nothing to do with his fraternity.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Will I actually have to do a bunch of ridiculously disturbing and borderline dangerous tasks just to get in?
-Probably, but it depends. A lot of the bigger fraternities do some “crazy” stuff that’s usually not particularly dangerous but just slightly absurd and incredibly uncomfortable. There seems to be a general fear of being sued for hazing so if you ever feel “threatened” they’ll typically cut back. </p></li>
<li><p>Am I going to be treated like crap for the first year that I’m in one?
-To some extent probably, but that’s a seniority thing that exists in any organization where new members are initiated. </p></li>
<li><p>Do they only have parties all the time and try and get girls knocked up or drunk out of their minds?
-Yeah but I think they’re pretty good about using condoms. In all seriousness though, there will be segments in every fraternity that are involved in things other than the parties, but a good chunk of the people are just there to have a good time. You’ll associate even within the fraternity with people who are more like you. </p></li>
<li><p>Is everyone in a fraternity really some knucklehead jerk that drinks 24/7 wears togas all the time and smashed empty beercans on their foreheads?
-Kind of similar to #3, a segment of any fraternity will be, and if you’re like that then you will be too, if you’re not you’ll hang out more with others in the fraternity.</p></li>
<li><p>Do people who arent in Fraternities think everyone who is in one is a total jerk?
-It’s pretty mixed at Michigan. Probably a third hold somewhat negative views (I think the negative views are actually pointed more towards sororities), a small portion of people are like obsessed groupies, and then more than half of the student body harbors no opinion because greek life doesn’t affect them at all. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Going greek, except on certain campuses, will not make you some kind of focus of attention for them entire campus. It’s just a tight knit group that wants to identify with each other. Do it because it’s something you like to do.</p>
<p>I’ll give my 2 cents. I was going to join a frat and even got a bid to the coolest fraternity on campus. I didn’t do it because I learned of what kind of hazing went on and what most of the brothers did. Drugs are huge in frats and almost everywhere. Now joing a frat at an Ivy league school or private school will be different then joining a frat at a public school i’m guessing but they are similar. Yes hazing goes on at probably all frats. Talk to the brothers at rush parties if you want to try to find out what they make you do (bros told me it was all physical which involved running late at night/picking bros up at bars at like 2 a.m.). Why join a frat if it will hurt your gpa? All brothers will do ****ty there pleding semester imo bc they make you remember stupid stuff about past brothers. If you do pledge, just make sure your schedule is easy and that you will be ok with a sub-par gpa (below a gpa you would expect to get if not pledging). Joining a fraternity is awesome and will help you get ladies/ network with lots of people and make tons of friends. I wish i joined but I have realized that getting an education is much more important then making friends/partying. And yes some of the frat boys at school are dusch bags but obviously not all of them.</p>
<p>I am so happy that I am not the only one who thought it was odd that the OP said that. Why would any college guy get a random girl drunk and try to get her pregnant? The objective is not to get her pregnant… Unless she is your significant other and that is your objective.</p>
<p>That’s what bitter anti-social people say about fraternities. (Note: I am not in a fraternity nor do I plan to be in one).</p>
<p>But let’s put my infamous brinkmanship to work:</p>
<p>Most kids, honestly, want (key word, is what makes them WANT) to go to college for the social experience of it.</p>
<p>So they pay tuition. They then pay for dorm housing. On top of this, they pay for all of the usual things that would make them more appealing to the opposite sex and being apart of a competitive social network which has now changed from high school to college. You pay for cool or in-style or original clothing. You pay for fashion accessories. You pay for that video game that every guy in the dorm wants to play on that big T.V. your room mate has. You pay for beer when asked for your share. You pay for the ladies’ entry into the club. The list goes on and on. All to make you more appealing or put you in better standing with other college kids.</p>
<p>Now, for some reason, these people then like to say that Greeks pay for their friends, as an implication that everyone else does not.</p>
<p>I say ********. Greeks merely pay a due to keep their new social network - THAT TOOK THEM IN - afloat. So what? It’s not like everyone in a fraternity is automatically friends with everyone either. It’s not automatic. If you aren’t friendly to your brothers; they aren’t going to be your friends.</p>
<p>You all pay for your friends one way or another. You all pay for girls. You all pay for everything you want. If you are a nerd, you pay for your world of warcraft subscription. That’s why money has value. It pays for everything you want, not just what Greeks want.</p>
<p>im not in college yet, i’ll be going next year to im not sure where yet.
i just want to know how they actually are and on tv they are portrayed the way i described them in the question, im just debating whether or not to join</p>
<p>You need to go check them out during Rush Week. There are good and bad eggs any where you go. Just be smart about it. I’ve hard Sigma Nu and Sigma Chi do NO hazing whatsoever and seem to have a very good reputation on my campus. However, many of the Asian Frats do haze, but they keep it down low. The choice is really yours.</p>
<p>Anyway, don’t listen to the people who say fraternity=paying for friends or the responses of people who say that people who think that way are just jealous. But do know that there will be people on your campus who thinks both ways and are equally obnoxious.</p>