So, recruitment and bid week comes and goes and you realize that you don’t want to participate in a social sorority, but still want to be part of Greek life. Good news, there are other options…
Greek life is a great way to be involved on campus, and even nationally. The strong friendships last forever, and the connections that can be formed with brothers and sisters from other schools who you barely even know is amazingly mind-blowing. Participating in Greek life is a great way to create networks, comradery, and relations to brothers, sisters, and alumni from chapters across the country.
In any Greek setting, rush or recruitment, it’s about having fun, meeting members, and figuring out if the organization is right for you. There are different events to attend, information sessions, and interviews.
Although Greek life is not prominent at UMass, those who are involved tend to love the friends they have made and experiences they have participated in. Besides social sororities and fraternities on campus, there is one co-ed honors fraternity: Phi Sigma Pi; one co-ed community service fraternity: Alpha Phi Omega; co-ed academic fraternities; multicultural sororities and fraternities; and a marching band service sorority and fraternity.
This goes to show that if students are uninterested in social Greek life, there are plenty of other options.
Phi Sigma Pi incorporates service, education, fundraising, and social aspects. Co-ed organizations have a different feel, because you have strong friendships and connections to both genders. These are called fraternities for historical reasons, but facilitate like any other sorority would. There are big and little pairs and all members start off by go through a haze-free initiation semester before becoming a brother.
Being a member of a smaller organization on such a large campus makes it feel smaller. I always see at least one or two people I know from the organizations I am involved with in the crowd of unfamiliar faces on my way anywhere.
All Greek life participate in some events together at UMass, such as UDance in the November, a twelve-hour dance marathon to raise money and awareness for BayState Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts through Children’s Miracle Network; and Relay for Life, a night-long event to raise money for cancer through the American Cancer Society.
Non-social Greek life starts a couple weeks before social ones do, so next semester, check out a fraternity or sorority that you didn’t consider, or even know about, before reading this. I guarantee you will find something you love about it.