Ought to You Go Greek or Keep Geed?

Apart from getting good grades, school is a time to construct relationships and set up lifelong friendships. Sustaining a social life will help you discover steadiness between residing and studying.

Greek life is likely one of the best methods to create a social community in school. Relying on the place you go to highschool, becoming a member of Greek life may additionally be probably the most important selections you make as an undergrad too.

You is perhaps questioning should you ought to go Greek? Earlier than you rush in, these are some belongings you’ll wish to take into account first.

Greek life is a well-liked social system on school campuses. It consists of fraternities and sororities that use the Greek alphabet to tell apart one group from one other. College students who’re members of Greek life usually put on the Greek letters of the group they’re a part of.

Greek life is most well-known for its rigorous recruitment course of, partying, and hazing. However that isn’t all it has to supply. It additionally consists of educational, skilled, and service-oriented organizations that present neighborhood for its members. This contains Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest — and probably essentially the most prestigious — Greek group in the USA.

Every school campus approaches Greek life otherwise. Some organizations keep unique homes the place members reside. Others function extra informally. Greek homes host common conferences in addition to social occasions.

The person chapters on school campuses are a part of bigger nationwide organizations. There are additionally governing our bodies that handle Greek life throughout the nation. This contains the National Panhellenic Council and the North American Interfraternity Conference.

No matter which group a scholar is a part of, the aim of Greek life is normally the identical. It helps undergrads develop management expertise, supplies social actions, and holds them accountable for educational achievement.

Going Greek is likely one of the best methods to have a social life throughout your school profession. On some campuses, it is the one approach. Apart from that, it will possibly assist you construct expertise you received’t study inside a classroom whereas offering a help system too.

Greek life provides you entry to management alternatives you won’t discover at different social organizations on campus. Most chapters maintain elections for roles like president or social chair. Relying on the function, it’s possible you’ll liaise with different homes to plan joint occasions. Governing our bodies just like the Nationwide Panhellenic Council recruit from Greek life organizations and will help you identify your self as a frontrunner on campus whereas constructing your resume too.

Mushy expertise have gotten more and more essential within the office. In response to a 2019 survey by LinkedIn, 91% of recruiters and HR professionals recognized delicate expertise as a pattern reworking the way forward for work.

Mushy expertise embrace issues like artistic problem-solving, communication, and having the ability to work as a crew. Your school courses might not present a possibility to develop these essential expertise, however Greek life will. This will repay large sooner or later should you pursue a profession that values delicate expertise and social connections.

Greek life is most well-known for the social worth it supplies. Your brothers or sisters usually develop into lifelong pals and lots of Greek organizations keep strong alumni networks that you would be able to be a part of after you graduate.

Whereas getting good grades in school is essential, constructing relationships is essential too. Imagine it or not, as many as 85% of jobs are stuffed by way of networking. Fraternities and sororities don’t simply present pals to hang around with on the weekends, they set up relationships that may pay dividends later in your profession.

Greek life makes volunteering enjoyable. Occasions may embrace partnering with one other group providing you with the prospect to socialize with different Greeks in a extra casual setting. Philanthropic actions can vary from all-night dance-a-thons to consuming contests.

Whereas there are some good causes to go Greek, it isn’t for everybody. These are some drawbacks to contemplate earlier than becoming a member of.

Be ready to pay up should you go Greek. You’ll be anticipated to pay membership dues and lots of organizations have a housing obligation. Relying on the place you go to highschool, this may be dearer than residing off campus.

The prices of going Greek might fluctuate by campus and tradition. Within the south, the place Greek life is extra essential, becoming a member of a fraternity or sorority can add tens of 1000’s of {dollars} to your school invoice. In different areas the place it’s much less essential, it’s possible you’ll find yourself solely paying a thousand bucks a semester.

There are different incidental bills to contemplate too. You’ll must pay for Greek gear to rep your own home, presents for brand new recruits, social occasions, and recognizing your sister in your subsequent journey to Starbucks. These prices won’t seem to be lots, however over the course of your school profession, they’ll add up.

Associated: How A lot Does it Price To Be a part of A Fraternity or Sorority

Except you be a part of a strictly tutorial group like Phi Beta Kappa, Greek life has a stigma for its occasion tradition. That is very true for fraternities. Whereas partying is a part of the school expertise, Greek life can take it to extremes.

Apart from throwing wild events, Greeks are additionally recognized for hazing. After dashing a sorority or fraternity, new recruits undergo a multi-week initiation course of. Hazing is normally included into that course of, the place pledges have to finish a sequence of duties earlier than being formally initiated.

These duties might be harmless — like finishing a scavenger hunt — however for some Greek organizations, they will contain harmful ranges of consuming. A hazing ritual led to the death of a freshman pledge at Cornell College in 2019, ensuing within the fraternity getting kicked off campus.

Whereas hazing is an open secret on most school campuses, Greeks are tight-lipped concerning the precise rituals. When you develop into a pledge, you is perhaps peer pressured into finishing a ritual even should you assume it’s humiliating or harmful. This will compromise your values and make it laborious to point out up as your genuine self.

To be a member of a Greek group in good standing, be ready to sacrifice a whole lot of your free time to conferences and occasions. When you’re initiated, you’ll must take part in weekly chapter conferences, social occasions, and fundraisers all year long.

In case you are in a rigorous tutorial program or work a part-time job, this may be troublesome to steadiness. Greek life places stress in your restricted time, which may influence your grades. Plus, to implement participation, some Greek organizations even cost monetary penalties should you miss chapter conferences or skip sure occasions.

Relying in your targets, Greek life is perhaps value it. The social facet of Greek life is an enormous draw. It supplies you with a stable community of pals when you’re going by way of one of many greatest transitions in your life. These pals can flip into useful relationships that will assist land your dream job sooner or later.

On campuses the place Greek life is the first social community, not becoming a member of may make you’re feeling ignored. Whereas grades are essential, you don’t wish to spend your whole undergrad profession holed up within the library. Greek life supplies a steadiness between lecturers and having enjoyable.

However Greek life isn’t for everybody. The associated fee is a big barrier to entry. On some campuses, Greek life is a tiered system. If you happen to be a part of a much less fascinating home, it won’t construct the social capital to make it well worth the funding.

The expectation to occasion and take part in dangerous habits can be a serious downside. Compromising your values simply to have pals can influence your grades or worse, lead you down a path in direction of dependancy and substance abuse.

Earlier than you be a part of, take into account whether or not or not the prices are value the advantages. Relying in your profession targets or your want to have a sturdy social community, Greek life could also be well worth the prices in the long term.

Deciding whether or not or to not be a part of Greek life is a vital — and costly — resolution you’ll must make simply as you’re starting your school profession. It isn’t for everybody and that’s OK.

Greek life is a part of school, however it isn’t the entire school expertise. Faculties provide a wide range of golf equipment and social teams that include most of the identical advantages as Greek life, like constructing friendships and pursuing management alternatives. Becoming a member of these teams could be a low-cost various to Greek life and it’s possible you’ll discover that they align extra together with your way of life too.