Balancing school and extracurricular activities can pose a certain challenge, especially to those who are still adjusting to the transition from high school to college. There’s a stigma surrounding Greek Life that follows most of us wherever we go: we put our organization first, and our schoolwork last. Let me be the first of many people to assure you that this is simply not true.
Did you know that the All Panhellenic GPA of Fall 2015 was higher than the All Student GPA? Balancing Greek Life and your academics is absolutely possible. In fact, being in Greek Life can even help you with your academics. I know from personal experience that the support and love from my sisters has helped me raise my GPA. When you join an organization, you gain so many new friends and resources, and chances are someone has taken the class you might be struggling with. You’ll meet people of all different majors and backgrounds who can lend you their experience to help you succeed. Another system in place to help you succeed is Library Hours. Chances are, your organization will have an academic program that includes a mandatory amount of time spent studying. Your new sisters and brothers will push you to be the best version of yourself, and this includes your academics.
I have a difficult time saying one major is more difficult than other, because I think every major is valuable and worth it. However, there are some majors that are impacted, have higher unit counts, and have stricter requirements than others. For those of you who have chosen a path that leads you to these majors, you can still thrive in a Greek Organization! A few of my sisters are in the Music Department, and they have somewhere around 68 units to complete. An average major has 40! These girls are still wonderful leaders in our organization. I’ve met Greek students in a plethora of departments: Bio, Engineering, Communications, Psychology, and the list goes on and on. All of these people are faced with the challenge of a demanding major, yet their commitment to their experience is what shines through. As long as you have strong priorities and good time management skills, you can absolutely do this.
Yes, joining a fraternity or sorority will take up some of your free time. You’ll be immersed in a large group of people who can’t wait to get to know you and become your friend. There are activities, philanthropies, and meetings that you’ll have to fit into your schedule. Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming, I won’t lie to you. But I can also say that without a doubt, it will be worth it.