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I went to college, and I saw a lot of frats and sororities up close. Their primary reason for existence was basically a big popularity contest. The GPA requirements, if they exist, are pathetically low. They have their token charity events, but it's really about partying, sex, binge drinking. I saw this every weekend up close and personal - didn't matter which house. I went through a day of rush, and the lure for guys is basically how they have the coolest guys who have access to the most sought-after sorority pus sy. It was quite blatant. If you think this is not the norm, then you probably have been out of college for a long time.
Of course people make some real friends through their frats and whatnot, but given the inherently superficial structure of frats and sororities, it is in spite of them and not because of them.
ok, you are obviously basing your opinion on frats not sororities. Sororities do require a decent GPA in order to go active and if that slips a young women is put on probation and not eligible for activities. Have I been out of college for a long time? You sure bet I have, but I have 2 granddaughters who graduated in the past 8 years and one that is a soph now. I can not speak for all fraternities. Obviously I have never been in one, though our grandsons and our son in laws have. Where are you getting the idea Frats and sororities do not require members keep their grades up?
Though I have said over and over, Greek life isn't for everyone, my hubby was a GDI. He would have liked to pledge but he was working his way through school and didn't have the funds. Has he ever regretted it? I don't think so. As he said, all the talk about drinking parties, sex, etc can be found on any campus, regardless of whether you are a Greek or a GDI. Do you deny that? If you don't think binge drinking, sex and just plain drinking exists on all campuses, even a lot of religious schools you must have had your head in the sand while you were in school?
Why do I get the idea, most who are GDIs hate the Greek life but most Greeks understand there are 2 sides to any story and there is no right answer for everyone.
It's very possible that it was an open rush season, as you can see I'm not super familiar with how the whole rush/recruiting/whatnot process works. I also can't speak to if the Greek organizations were national or local chapters. All I know is I just didn't have the time to devote to an organization that had mandatory attendance type rules, I didn't join any clubs at school. My friend went to a different university, she co-oped with me at a company over an hr away from her school, so she lived with some local relatives during our co-op and her sorority sisters were very upset that she couldn't attend the minimum number of events (whatever it is) even though it was usually not feasible to go. It's very possible that a commuter school situation would've been different as far as that goes.
You do bring up good points, yes, most sororities do require attendance at the weekly meetings and some other activities. They also require a certain numbe of hours doing some sort of community service. For those who are very dedicated to their education and involved in a difficult major, sometimes that is enough to keep them busy and involved. Hubby had a couple of friends at Stanford University, one in accounting, the other in engineering, they found time for Frat life, but this doesn't work for everyone, espicially if you are commuting. It sounds like you made the right decision for yourself.
Just know who you are before you join a frat or sorority. I found that guys who were timid or withdrawn or unsure of themselves, became so "frat-minded" afterwards, that they forgot their old friends they had before.
Just know who you are before you join a frat or sorority. I found that guys who were timid or withdrawn or unsure of themselves, became so "frat-minded" afterwards, that they forgot their old friends they had before.
Just keep your sense of self.
That is an excellant point and a great bit of advise. Not only when it comes to something like frat life, but life period. Yes, we all outgrow friends from time to time, and I don't mean that in a negative way, our lives just change, but when we let anything, be it social contacts, success, money, etc influence our attitude and our head gets to big for our old friends, we may live to regret it.
See, and at my college, anybody who wanted this scene had it at their disposal with or without Greek organizations.
I went to a small University in the late 70s not known for it's partying and without any Greek organizations. There were no Sororities or Fraternities on campus. None.
However, if one wanted this type of activity, it was there there. No need for a Greek organization.
How do you explain them on the Baylor or SMU campuses for starters?
SMU is RINO...religious in name only. Undergrad there for women is a finishing school for upper middle class to upper class young ladies looking for that M.R.S. degree; for men, it's a place to make connections for their future in Dallas's bidness community.
SMU is RINO...religious in name only. Undergrad there for women is a finishing school for upper middle class to upper class young ladies looking for that M.R.S. degree; for men, it's a place to make connections for their future in Dallas's bidness community.
you are completely right, many schools with religious attackments are in name only, but you might have missed my point: the poster pretty much said religious schools do not have Greek organizations. I was simply pointing out 2 that I know that do, there are many more. BTW, SMU is a place to make connections regardlss of being a guy or a gal: our daughter got her masters there.
You do bring up good points, yes, most sororities do require attendance at the weekly meetings and some other activities. They also require a certain numbe of hours doing some sort of community service. For those who are very dedicated to their education and involved in a difficult major, sometimes that is enough to keep them busy and involved. Hubby had a couple of friends at Stanford University, one in accounting, the other in engineering, they found time for Frat life, but this doesn't work for everyone, espicially if you are commuting. It sounds like you made the right decision for yourself.
This alone was reason enough for me not to go the Greek route (I did try it out; pledged a co-ed fraternity-I'm female-that was more service-rooted than most social organizations were, but didn't even stay active for a whole semester). I was a student musician, outside of my academic stuff, and was a theater minor who was involved in most mainstage productions, whether onstage or in technical theatre. That meant that outside of my classes, I had a guaranteed 1-2 hours of ensemble rehearsal an afternoon/evening, and when I was doing a show, a couple of hours each night for that, as well. Throw in practice room time, time to study, and my work study hours, and I didn't have ANY time for any club with mandatory time commitment requirements. Fine arts essentially took the place of sororities, in my world.
But that's kind of the whole point...college offers a lot of opportunities for everyone, really, and campus cultures that revolve around Greek life as the only possible activity that's considered socially worthwhile are not places that would have been for me. I preferred a place like where I went, where it was one option of many, and if it wasn't for you, there were a million other things that might be, that fulfilled that same sort of purpose.
you are completely right, many schools with religious attackments are in name only, but you might have missed my point: the poster pretty much said religious schools do not have Greek organizations. I was simply pointing out 2 that I know that do, there are many more. BTW, SMU is a place to make connections regardlss of being a guy or a gal: our daughter got her masters there.
I've also pointed out several that I have personal affiliation with that ARE religiously affiliated beyond just in name only, who DO, indeed, have Greek systems, albeit of varying prominence.
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