When going off to college, you’re bound to hear “Greek Life” more than once. Maybe you had a father in a fraternity, or an older friend who claims XYZ changed and her life and she wouldn’t be anywhere without her sisters. There’s a lot of pressure to rush and get involved with these organizations. Becoming a Greek seems to open you up to a world of endless partying, booze, and other Greeks. Movies and TV shows generate the stereotype that you’re no one on campus if you aren’t sporting letters. But what if your college doesn’t have Greek Life?
1. Good News, No Rush!
Rush is defined as the week you go from house to house getting to know the different fraternities and sororities. You are expected to look and act your best because potential new brothers or sisters are judging you from head to toe. It can be extremely stressful process for some girls, especially those are who self-conscious about their appearance. Rush can also take away from academics at school because the students get so involved in preparing themselves. College is stressful enough, and it’s nice to have one less thing not to worry about.
2. We Still Get Awesome Alumni Connections
One of the biggest reasons students “Go Greek” is to have access to a great alumni network. You could potentially have a brother or sister anywhere! While that’s great, most colleges have alumni networks anyways. If you go to a small enough school, chances are your alumni network is amazing and many graduates are currently working with alumni. Stop by your career or admissions office to see if they can get you in contact with an alumni. Chances are, you’ll still be successful.
3. No Hierarchy on Campus
No one cares who is the top tier sorority or who’s dating whom and why it’s so scandalous. We have better things to worry about. The lack of hierarchy tends to create an intense community around campus because everyone is equal. No one is judging you by the letters on your chest. Greek Life on campus tends to create a lot of separation between the Greeks and the non-Greeks, whereas that’s not an issue on campuses that don’t offer it.
4. We Have Time for Other Extra-Curriculars
Greek Life can be like a full-time job. It’s a huge time consumer which can be great if you’re really into it, but you could be missing out on so many other opportunities around campus. College campuses offer a wide-range of extra-curriculars and it’s fun to try to be involved in a few to learn new things and create a more diverse resume. Greek Life could limit you in that because you might not have time to join different on-campus organizations. While being a successful active Greek member looks great on a resume, it’s important to try to remain diverse.
5. Yes, We Still Party
Whether or not a school as Greek Life, almost every one has athletes. If your school doesn’t have Greek Life, athletic teams typically have a “house” where they can go and party and get the same experience. And if you don’t want to party with the sports teams, you can party elsewhere. If you don’t like to party, then don’t. Without Greek Life, there’s less of a pressure to go out and impress the new fraternity pledge class. Partying is existent on every campus, and it’s your decision on how involved you’re going to be. Whether you’re a Greek or not, expect to have a great college experience and make tons of new friends.