Choosing To Go Greek Essay
Choosing to Go Greek
To be Greek or not be; that is the question. Choosing to go Greek is a once in a lifetime choice you can decide in your college career. There are many types of council to choose from but luckily there is only four on the Texas Woman’s University campus. They are the College PanHellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Multicultural Greek Council. In total there are 11 greek organizations. You can either join a fraternity if male or a sorority if female. You may have seen them at the Freshman Orientation showing their strolls or around campus wearing their letters.
What stops most students from choosing to go Greek is how the media portrays them, such as the movie "Animal …show more content…
House” categorizes all fraternity houses as giant house where “frat” boys lived and all they caused was mischief. “Yes, Greek houses are often a place for big-time partying on campuses...”(Peterson’s Staff) but not all Greek organizations are like that. The senoritas “are not about partying”(Flores). Their “main priorities are service involvement and academic achievement”(Flores). But regardless of what other people say, the truth is “You need to experience it, before you judge it”(Flores).
People rush/pledge for different reasons; some of the reasons include “a professional network after graduation, lots of community service opportunities, a support network, and there are often scholarships available…”(Lucier).
Most Greek organizations also contribute to community. Each organization has a philanthropy in which they dedicate to and a certain number of hours required to volunteer every semester but most of them “go over the required number of hours bot because they have to is because they want to”(Flores). For Example: Sigma Lambda Gamma supports Breast Cancer Awareness. Their supports comes in many different forms from “fundraising campaigns; educational workshops to create awareness; active participation in run/walk events”(Wikipedia).
“Being a sorority is like a big family, knowing you have a large group of people there for you if you need a shoulder to cry on or a firm hand to help is the best feeling”(Flores). Each Greek organization, chapters, and individuals are different from each other, making them the most diverse group of students on campus. “I have so many different sisters; I have one sister to go shopping with, another to pull all nighter’s, and other just to relax and talk about work… everybody has something different they bring to the
table”(Flores).
After you go through rushing in an organization, the bond you feel is described as having “a different feel to them than other friendships you make during your time in school”(Lucier). Each organization has a way to test potential new members but it’s all in secrecy and they pay off is worth it. Laura say while “becoming a senorita was a difficult journey but one of the most rewarding ones” (Flores). After crossing over with her sisters, Laura felt that instant bond. “That no matter through time it won’t go away” (Flores). But not every bond is felt right away, “In the begging I didn’t like my line brothers at all, but as I got to know them more I did like them” (Abrego). You learn to act different with different people a skill you acquire being in close proximity of the members and constantly seeing them.
Once you join, you will become part of a long-standing tradition. Each organization of each chapter has its own traditions and if the campus is new “you 're lucky enough to be at the start of something great.”(Lucier). Each organization has its traditions to show to other organization and to non-Greeks. One of them is strolling, a “traditional dance or “party walk” performed by culturally-based fraternities and/or sororities.”(Cornell)
Graduating with Greek letters open lots of extra doors vs. just graduating. “Just knowing you are Greek, they are more prone to hiring you”(Flores). “Many Greek organizations offer networking opportunities to their members long after their college years.”(Lucier). For example in the fraternity Kappa Sigma there are more than 30 alumni chapters. These alumni chapters provide professional contacts in each of the local areas, networking opportunities, and professional development opportunities. Another example is Sigma Lambda Alpha, one of their alumni’s, Crystal “is always posting job opportunities to help out with campaigning and elections and other Diana is always finding about jobs on campus…”(Flores)
Greek Life is a wonderful and crazy thing to experience in college and joining a sorority is something Laura does not regret and she could go back and do it again, she “would have done it sooner instead of waiting…”(Flores). “Nobody knows if the sorority you choose is the right choice, if you don’t like the process you can drop the line”(Flores). So just cause the sorority/fraternity you first choose is not the right fit for you doesn’t mean another is not the place where you can call home and the girls/boys your sisters/brothers. Cause what it comes down to just one big family. So why not try it?
Works Cited
Abrego, Ivan. Personal interview. 08 Feb. 2014.
"Office of the Dean of Students." DOS: Greek Definitions. Cornell University, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.
Lucier, Kelci L. "10 Benefits of Going Greek in College." About.com College Life. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
Flores, Laura. Personal interview. 3 Feb. 2014.
"Sigma Lambda Gamma." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 July 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.
To be Greek or not be; that is the question. Choosing to go Greek is a once in a lifetime choice you can decide in your college career. There are many types of council to choose from but luckily there is only four on the Texas Woman’s University campus. They are the College PanHellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Multicultural Greek Council. In total there are 11 greek organizations. You can either join a fraternity if male or a sorority if female. You may have seen them at the Freshman Orientation showing their strolls or around campus wearing their letters.
What stops most students from choosing to go Greek is how the media portrays them, such as the movie "Animal …show more content…
House” categorizes all fraternity houses as giant house where “frat” boys lived and all they caused was mischief. “Yes, Greek houses are often a place for big-time partying on campuses...”(Peterson’s Staff) but not all Greek organizations are like that. The senoritas “are not about partying”(Flores). Their “main priorities are service involvement and academic achievement”(Flores). But regardless of what other people say, the truth is “You need to experience it, before you judge it”(Flores).
People rush/pledge for different reasons; some of the reasons include “a professional network after graduation, lots of community service opportunities, a support network, and there are often scholarships available…”(Lucier).
Most Greek organizations also contribute to community. Each organization has a philanthropy in which they dedicate to and a certain number of hours required to volunteer every semester but most of them “go over the required number of hours bot because they have to is because they want to”(Flores). For Example: Sigma Lambda Gamma supports Breast Cancer Awareness. Their supports comes in many different forms from “fundraising campaigns; educational workshops to create awareness; active participation in run/walk events”(Wikipedia).
“Being a sorority is like a big family, knowing you have a large group of people there for you if you need a shoulder to cry on or a firm hand to help is the best feeling”(Flores). Each Greek organization, chapters, and individuals are different from each other, making them the most diverse group of students on campus. “I have so many different sisters; I have one sister to go shopping with, another to pull all nighter’s, and other just to relax and talk about work… everybody has something different they bring to the
table”(Flores).
After you go through rushing in an organization, the bond you feel is described as having “a different feel to them than other friendships you make during your time in school”(Lucier). Each organization has a way to test potential new members but it’s all in secrecy and they pay off is worth it. Laura say while “becoming a senorita was a difficult journey but one of the most rewarding ones” (Flores). After crossing over with her sisters, Laura felt that instant bond. “That no matter through time it won’t go away” (Flores). But not every bond is felt right away, “In the begging I didn’t like my line brothers at all, but as I got to know them more I did like them” (Abrego). You learn to act different with different people a skill you acquire being in close proximity of the members and constantly seeing them.
Once you join, you will become part of a long-standing tradition. Each organization of each chapter has its own traditions and if the campus is new “you 're lucky enough to be at the start of something great.”(Lucier). Each organization has its traditions to show to other organization and to non-Greeks. One of them is strolling, a “traditional dance or “party walk” performed by culturally-based fraternities and/or sororities.”(Cornell)
Graduating with Greek letters open lots of extra doors vs. just graduating. “Just knowing you are Greek, they are more prone to hiring you”(Flores). “Many Greek organizations offer networking opportunities to their members long after their college years.”(Lucier). For example in the fraternity Kappa Sigma there are more than 30 alumni chapters. These alumni chapters provide professional contacts in each of the local areas, networking opportunities, and professional development opportunities. Another example is Sigma Lambda Alpha, one of their alumni’s, Crystal “is always posting job opportunities to help out with campaigning and elections and other Diana is always finding about jobs on campus…”(Flores)
Greek Life is a wonderful and crazy thing to experience in college and joining a sorority is something Laura does not regret and she could go back and do it again, she “would have done it sooner instead of waiting…”(Flores). “Nobody knows if the sorority you choose is the right choice, if you don’t like the process you can drop the line”(Flores). So just cause the sorority/fraternity you first choose is not the right fit for you doesn’t mean another is not the place where you can call home and the girls/boys your sisters/brothers. Cause what it comes down to just one big family. So why not try it?
Works Cited
Abrego, Ivan. Personal interview. 08 Feb. 2014.
"Office of the Dean of Students." DOS: Greek Definitions. Cornell University, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.
Lucier, Kelci L. "10 Benefits of Going Greek in College." About.com College Life. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
Flores, Laura. Personal interview. 3 Feb. 2014.
"Sigma Lambda Gamma." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 July 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.