No Matter the Letter, Greeks Do It Better In society today, Going Greek is a controversial topic. One of the main questions on every freshman's mind when he or she first arrives at school is "Should I rush a fraternity or a sorority?” This is a particularly tough decision for most people, and there are many determining factors to consider. While evaluating the Greek system as a whole, one must consider the reasons that make becoming part of the Greek system so worthwhile. Joining the Greek system is a unparalleled experience because it gives individuals a second family that helps to make a home away from home, it gives students an easy way to become a major part of campus life, and it provides young adults with a a good foundation as an individuals entering alumni status. …show more content…
However, “Hazing is against the law and is prohibited by national fraternity and sorority headquarters, which govern local chapters on college campuses” (Blake). At Bradley University, a slogan was created to promote anti-hazing: “These hands don’t haze”. Each new member in the chapters across the campus were required to attend a presentation about the consequences of hazing, as well as how to report a hazing incident. This protects the individuals involved in Greek Life because it sets national standards and punishments for those chapters who do choose to haze new members. In conclusion, Greek Life has many positive aspects to offer to a young adult. Through a combination of higher probability of educational success, increased interactivity among the Greek society, preparation for the future, unrivaled personal growth experiences, and lifelong friendship with fellow chapter members, Greek Life positively affects lives. Each student entering college should give rushing a chance due to its many rewarding opportunities it provides. As reported by many individuals, Going Greek contributed to a better experience in college and
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Show MoreGreek organizations, such as, fraternities and sororities have been a part of the college experience for centuries. We pride ourselves in brotherly and sisterly love, academic success, and helping others. There are countless stereotypes and myths that surround the “Greek life” name. Just some myths include: all Greeks haze their members, they only care about physical looks not personalities, and they go to college just to party and get drunk. Kappa Delta Sorority upholds none of these stereotypes. We have a strong no haze policy. Hazing is defined as an activity or situation that can cause emotional, mental, or physical discomfort. If a member is caught hazing or if a new member is caught allowing herself to be hazed, there will be major consequences, such as, national probation or deferral of initiation. Kappa Delta also does not look at physical appearance as the only quality for possible new members. We look at personality and qualifications that can benefit our sorority; instead of having a group of women that are pretty and popular, we like to have women with strong morals, work ethic, and have the willingness to love each and every member of Kappa Delta. Kappa Delta Sorority is like no other fraternity or sorority on campus; we do not waste our time with partying and drinking. We pride ourselves in our historical background, philanthropies, and our values. I know Kappa Delta is the best sorority not only on MTSU campus but in the whole country.
Walking into college, I always wanted to join a brotherhood. But, it was hard to find the one for me at first. After striking out on a few other fraternities at SEMO, I didn’t know if Greek Life was for me. But after talking one night with Brian Smith, I would give my one last shot to Sigma Nu. Looking back, I couldn’t have been happier with my decision. Over the past few months I have grown into a better person and have achieved goals I wouldn’t have even thought about being able to achieve. Looking back throughout my candidate process I can say I have strived for Love, Truth, and Honor.
When one first thinks of Greek life or a sorority the only thing that comes to mind is the social aspect. Most people don’t think of sororities as social institutions that envelop their own culture, with mannerisms, languages and customs that are unique to each individual organization. However, these institutions promote a common set of values that enable members to become connected in a way that has a more profound meaning than just social interaction. Greek organizations are good examples of how institutions can affect and be affected by social status and roles within the collegiate community. They are also a prime example of how race, class and gender can affect a social setting in both positive and negative manners.
Day in and day out we hear about high school and college students wanting to pursue a sorority and/or a fraternity based on the stereotypes these organizations uphold, well I chose to differ. I told myself if I ever decided to become a member of a sorority it would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated consists of ladies of distinction and exemplary character who excel in scholarship, leadership, and service, which are qualities I have chosen to uphold. From my perspective, I encourage myself to maintain a respectable appearance and reputation which doing so inspires me to embrace my self-concept; which helps me confidently excel academically and professionally as a “lady of distinction” and “exemplary character.” Most importantly, I continuously remain involved in community service, being involved allows me the opportunity to learn and understand the lives and circumstances of others by opening my mind, heart, and soul. Overall these qualities strengthen my passion to be a member of the prestigious Alp...
Among the many non-respectable rituals and ceremonies performed by these organizations, hazing is the number one reason why a number of students ha...
Popular types of hazing include forced alcohol consumption, humiliation, running gauntlets, and forced sexual activity. While hazing through groupthink happens within many avenues, the focal point will be college campuses across America. The perplexing reality is that college fraternities haze new members in various forms of condoned behavior where if found in another setting would be considered criminal.
The article starts off with interesting statistics about the success that Greek Life has brought to people's lives. “85% of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life. The first female astronaut was Greek. So was the first female senator. And college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non-Greeks.” This part of the article immediately had me intrigued because it shows how impactful Greek Life can be to your life. “I really see that there’s a great correlation between those skills being developed and the ability to be successful in any endeavor,” she said. “Not necessarily just famous-successful, like a president or CEO, but successful as a community leader or as a small business owner.” This source in its entirety was good insight about how Greek Life’s main focus is not to party but to better yourself like many of today's leaders. The article is an attractive read to students who are skeptic about the purpose of joining these
The purpose of our video is to show the culture of St. John's University with our focus on greek life. Our goal is to show how greek life is depicted on campus by interviewing non-greek affiliated persons, and showing how they are stereotyped in media. We will be interviewing people from a St. John's frat, sorority, and an academic based greek life organization. At the end of the video we are hoping to shed the truth on the life of a Greek, and what comes with it. The video should be an advertisement to people looking into joining greek life, showing them what they can expect. Our project should be produced because with the negative stereotype of Greek life, many students might not take the opportunity they to join one of the organizations. With the questions going to be answered in our video, we will answer the stereotype and hopefully help guide someone to join. We plan to get our message across by remixing aspects such as mode, audience, purpose, and situation.
Greek life in most people’s eyes is considered to be joining a sisterhood or brotherhood such as a sorority or a fraternity. Greek life is an extremely large part in numerous universities. More than half of the students are actually members of a Greek organization. Some may say that Greek life is not for them, but they truly do not know all of the advantages that come from being a member of a Greek organization. Do they realize how several of our nation’s leaders were members of Greek life probably not, since most of them were? One should join Greek life, not only for abundant friendships gained, but because of advantages, for example leadership skills and along with the countless networking
The school I visited was Dartmouth College. It is located in Hanover, NH - a very small town, where restaurants and hotels are scarce, but fraternities and sororities are plentiful. A little over fifty percent of the students there are members of the Greek system, and that is how they really get to make friends and turn their college life into a much more joyful experience while residing in that tiny town. When I went to Dartmouth, a friend of mine, which was my guide through the whole voyage, accompanied me. He went to Dartmouth, and graduated from there, and because he was not an exception to the rule, he had also been a part of a fraternity for his whole college experience, and even more, he still is part of that fraternity.
But in reality there are many different types of hazing some examples are being forced to drink alcohol or do drugs, beating paddling and assault, branding/ Burning, being forced to abuse animals, public nudity just to name a few. (Hazing incidents, 2017, Para 12) And it’s not just in frats or sororities it also often happens in sports teams where the senior members of the team take it upon them self’s to toughen up the freshmen of the team. This might included constant hitting spanking fighting or being forced to drink an extreme amount of water or alcohol. (Why hazing is good for you, n.d, and para 1-16)
Hazing in universities across the nation has become a common tradition that develops mostly in Greek organizations. Hazing is seen in many different social groups such as schools, military units, sport teams, fraternities, and sororities. Prohibited by law for unnecessary reasons; hazing is a way to grow with friends in a closer way than independent students will ever have the chance to. Every year there are thousands of teenagers that pledge for a fraternity knowing of the possible chance of being hazed. People that join fraternities join for a sense of belonging and to meet people with similar interests. Trying to fit into a new college campus can be hard for a person to do. Almost every group pressures the new pledges to participate in hazing activities to create a sense of brotherhood. Hazing is a process that creates a sense of unity, also it teaches the one being hazed about himself and his brothers; being hazed into a group will help someone become a well-rounded person and will help them overcome struggles later in life.
Stories of hazing incidents are all too common in the news media today. It would not be out of the ordinary, upon opening the newspaper, to read the testimony of some fraternity pledges "'We were taken to a deserted park and blindfolded...We sat on our knees for an hour. Then they began slapping us on the back of our necks, real hard, and then they started pouring hot wax down our back'" (Milloy CL). Also, an article stating that "...A sophomore at Alfred University in New York was locked in a car trunk with two others and told to drink a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, wine and a six-pack of beer, one wintry night in 1978. He died of alcohol poisoning and exposure" (O'Connor 32). Fraternities are getting away with hazing practices, every single day. If a stranger did this to a civilian, they would automatically be arrested and imprisoned.
Everyone has their limit on almost about everything. Their limit when to stop drinking, or when to stop physically straining their bodies. Hazing can be defined as any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers anyone, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate. The most common hazing practices include alcohol/binge drinking, public humiliation, isolation, sleep deprivation and even sexual acts. In addition, these hazing rituals may lead to traumatic injuries including beating, branding, consuming nonfood substances and simulated drowning. In these rituals everything is all fun and games until someone dies or kills themselves from the embarrassment. Then who is to blame? Who can you blame legally? Hazing must be put to a stop or strong rules and regulations must be put on these frats, and sororities to make sure that all students are safe.
...of hazing rituals is to have more supervision and be more cautious about dangerous activities. Alcohol is a common part of the fraternity life and using it to haze can have severe damaging effects; it can even be deadly. More comforting support should be given to the pledges, rather than intimidation and discouragement. Students have to mature and live the values of education and responsibility. Instead of searching for weakness in a pledge, active members should begin to test the hearts of new members. The love and support of a family are the main justifications for the Greek tradition on campus. Cruel initiations have lasted nearly one hundred years; but if hazing does not stop now, administrators are bound to put an end to the Greek system of communal life for college students. Students would then lose a system for forming friendships that ought to last a lifetime.