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Greeks! (collegiate style!)
Iceman.USAF
MajorEast CoastRegistered User regular
MajorEast CoastRegistered User regular
Evening,
I was just curious, who all here has gone to college and chosen to "Go Greek!"
I went to college never intending to join a greek organization, and really pretty much hating the idea. Then I went through some rough personal stuff, and my friends that had gone greek brought me into their house, and the people there helped out a lot.
So that's my story, what's yours?
Also, Alpha Chi Rho, if you were wondering.
To make this a "debate" why don't we talk about the things your particular organization holds dear? AXP has 4 Landmarks, and they are
1) Membership from among those who are prepared to realize in word and deed, the Brotherhood of all men.
2) The insistence of a high and clean moral standard.
3) The paramount duty of Brotherly love among members.
4) Judgment not by externals but by intrinsic worth; no one is denied membership in Alpha Chi Rho because of race, creed, or nationality.
I was just curious, who all here has gone to college and chosen to "Go Greek!"
I went to college never intending to join a greek organization, and really pretty much hating the idea. Then I went through some rough personal stuff, and my friends that had gone greek brought me into their house, and the people there helped out a lot.
So that's my story, what's yours?
Also, Alpha Chi Rho, if you were wondering.
To make this a "debate" why don't we talk about the things your particular organization holds dear? AXP has 4 Landmarks, and they are
1) Membership from among those who are prepared to realize in word and deed, the Brotherhood of all men.
2) The insistence of a high and clean moral standard.
3) The paramount duty of Brotherly love among members.
4) Judgment not by externals but by intrinsic worth; no one is denied membership in Alpha Chi Rho because of race, creed, or nationality.
Iceman.USAF on
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Like, assfucking?
Also, we don't haze in any way, shape or form. I personally detest the idea of making someone do something "because I had to" or some other ridiculous reason.
On the black screen
The paying for friends is stupid.
The air of superiority because you are "Greek" is extra stupid. You aren't Greek. And you aren't superior.
Seriously, there are better structures for clubs to have.
Now, I go to Alabama. So my experiences are kinda tainted by four years of a drinking town with a football problem. But the Greek system down here has a bad history of being overly... political. A select group of historically white houses have become known as The Machine, based on their ability to push SGA candidates into whatever position they want. Also, graduates who have been members of the Machine have seen themselves in very powerful positions: governor, mayor, city councilmen.
The Machine, because its known as being a group of white houses, also has a history of being racist. Black students who run for SGA positions (especially against Machine candidates) find themselves harassed with phone calls, burning crosses on the front lawn, other things.
There's a lot of positive stuff that the Greek system here does. But most people only hear the bad.
XBL: Torn Hoodie
@hoodiethirteen
's what it means around here.
They use crowbars.
Though I do have a friend in one of the ridiculous seeming frats at my school (that doesn't even have a house), and they held a rock paper scissor tournament where people dress up funny and a dodgeball tournament last year, so they are okay by me I guess. Fiji.
Oh, and they made him go out at 3 am one night, in winter, find some roadkill, and bring it back to the house. Good times.
On the other hand, another friend of mine joined the Engineering frat and had a great time with nice guys who let my group of friends use the house to get UFC on PPV. So, that's cool.
IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
Goodbye Mexican Hat on Tuesdays Club... you were too beautiful to live.
Pretty much my feelings exactly.
--
The college Greek culture seems retarded to me.
But I can understand why it relates to some people. I mean, if you lack individuality and feel like you have to belong to a group and share their identity instead of having your own, sure, go join a frat. Of course, I don't have to say anything about how stupid making that choice is, considering that "identity", for most frats at least, seems to revolve around partying a lot and walking around campus with baseball caps worn backwards and collars popped.
For sororities, I'm not so sure, but the female friends I have in sororities project the image that sororities exist because:
1- the world is a scary, scary place for pretty girls, who, again, feel like they need to belong to a group to survive
2- frats want pretty girls at their parties
3- some girls like getting laid a lot, and who better to have sex with if not with an "alpha male" frat dude?
The ultimate irony of course is that people in the Greek system view the outside world with an attitude of superiority, whereas the sad truth is that they are, in fact, inferior.
Lots of people has negative experiences with frat guys?
If frats want to stop being criticized they could you know try to be part of their community rather than a bunch of tools. I am generalizing I'm sure there' plenty of good frats out there. But in general that's most people's experience with frats.
And it's not "paying for friends." You're friends with the people because you get along with them. The money is to buy alcohol and keep up the house as a place to hang out. You've never lived with your friends and bought alcohol with them?
That's the most logical post I've seen.
vrst is right, if I had wanted people to judge quickly I would have posted in SE.
I'm sorry so many of you have had poor experiences with Fraternities. However please remember there are some decent Brothers out there. I'd hazard a guess that generally most peoples experiences are at big parties. Those are not indicative of everyday life inside a house. Then again, some houses have rat infested kitchens and 3" of water in the basement, that is not my house. I guess it's just as random as anything else, some are good, some are bad.
I don't know where the "air of superiority" stereotype, but apparently it's real. On my campus, most greeks are pigeonholed and have a hard time breaking into other social circles, like the SGA or the Student Alum Society. A lot of houses instead go outside the school to the community to do work, like habitat for humanity, or some other local service opportunity. We even made national news during the winter (february I think). We did a fund raiser to help support the family of a brother from the Illinois chapter who was kidnapped in Iraq. It was only a 30sec spot or 1min depending on the station, but still, we got a lot of donations that way.
Someone mentioned a culture of exclusion and paying for friends....well, I know what you're saying, but I really really disagree. The only things we exclude any "outsiders" from in my house is our ritual, which is the super super secret (not really that super, just secret really) or if you've somehow pissed off enough people by being a jackass or harassing girls at the house. Those are honestly the only reasons we disallow people into our house/social functions/parties. 2 Simple rules really 1) Don't be a jackass 2) Listen to the officers.
The paying for friends part is just ridiculous...yes, I pay dues, yes I pay room and board. But when you think of it, what am I getting? I get my own room, cable internet heat all the utilities, full kitchen, all that stuff. I get fed twice a day 5 times a week (no catered meals sat/sun). We also bought a 50" plasma HDTV with the money we saved between the last 2 years. And yes, there is money set aside for alcohol, of course. Then again, if you've ever bought booze with friends, its the same idea, this is just doing it over a longer period of time. ALL the money that I put in goes right back into the house, or food, or utilities, with a very small portion (something along the lines of $100/person going to alcohol/year) going to social activities.
Honestly, I feel bad seeing all the negative experiences that some people have had. I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had at my house for anything. I really wish more places were like my house, or I could invite you all over for a while, maybe that'd help. lol
Also, GoodOmens, that's some fucked up shit. What the hell did they do with roadkill?
Have your fun, but don't fall into the trap. The older guys who just refuse to accept that college is going to end will all end up as bouncers, bartenders, or "promoters" and are in for a rude awakening a few years down the road. I'm just about to graduate, I'm seeing it happen right now to a lot of friends.
Going to the clubs everynight does not mean you're going to pull a 6 figure salary. "Its not what you do, its who you know" is what guys who party too much say, my fine arts major friend is convinced that someone is going to take a shine to him at a bar and put him in upper management.
By the way, it's my stern belief that the less you party and fuck around at college, the bigger you mid-life crisis will be.
But then, I'm more of a study hard/party hard kinda guy, so studying should be part of your life as well. Not because of your societal career, but because it gets your head in the world and makes you more interesting for me to talk to in a bar.
(yes, I am an English Lit. student)
That said, I was never in one, but I had friends in the Engineering frat at my college and one in a sorority, they seemed alright, they had fun in them and had a good time in them. There was also the frat that got kicked out of its house by the university because they were complete jackasses and trashed it regularly. It can go both ways.
No, you came here for opinions. We gave you our opinions. You didn't like them. Stop whining.
Of course. Exceptions however don't break the rule.
I don't have numbers, and this kind of thing tends to be subjective, but I think it would be safe to assume that only a few are good, and most are bad.
As much as I hate the Greek system, I'm willing to admit that I actually admire their community service work. However, it's not as if community service is something that makes the Greek system special; there are tons of people who aren't Greeks and do community service. They may not be getting time on national TV, but they still make a difference. In fact, I admire them more because they don't do it because they have to (like the Greeks), but because they actually want to.
Sounds like the army. *blergh!*
Aside from that, the culture of exclusion in the Greek system here at the University of Washington is pretty fucking extreme, not to mention sexist. Basically, outsiders can get into parties only if they:
a) know someone in the frat well enough to "get on The List"
b) have vaginas
c) are accompanying people with vaginas (the common rule is for every guy in the group there has to be at least 2 girls)
Says a lot about the Greek system as a whole.
To be fair though, people in the Greek system justify this by claiming that they do it for the security and safety of their guests, and point out that if someone causes trouble at the frat party, the whole frat is held liable for it (apparently some frats got in trouble with their Chapters several times in the past). So they exclude strangers.
Of course when I heard this I was quick to point out that the culture of exclusion among the Greek system resembles America's attitudes towards "outsiders" after 9/11, and how excluding "outsiders" because they can be "potential trouble-makers" only gives the illusion of security rather than actual security.
It's not the paying for things that bothers me as much as the amount you have to pay. If I was in a frat right now I would be paying at least double the amount I'm paying for my spacious apartment room, which has everything a frat has minus the catered meals. And I actually like because I don't want to graduate from college and suddenly realize that, holy shit, I have no fucking idea how to cook my own meals!
Edit: Alternatively, good herb will get you into any party you want, I don't care if it's at the fucking Playboy mansion.
After one of my longtime friend and roommate joined one, I hung out with them and ended up joining. My chapter definitely does not fit the stereotype of a fraternity. We're probably more of a black sheep of the greek system on my campus because of it too. My chapter is at a commuter college and thus we have no chapter house. We just regularly meet and plan events (which is what the money goes towards, not for the friends) and we regularly perform community service and have lots of fun doing it.
Anytime I ever tell someone that I am in a fraternity I get a "You're in a fraternity?" look. But soon after meeting my guys and seeing our events, they soon find out they may had judged far too quickly.
Hopefully some of you guys can find out that Fraternities and the movie Animal House do not fall hand in hand.
Earning enough for what? Live for yourself? Probably. Support a family, afford the best schools for your children, the best doctors when shit goes bad, etc.? Nope.
Unless you have some sort of data to back this seeming bullshit, it will remain just that: bullshit.
It's much less like the army and more like "You broke our fucking window? You're going home" kind of listening to the officers. That, and if someone tells you you're cut off, you're cut the hell off. No second chances, really.
The "Dont be a jackass" and "listen to the officers" is really only an issue when we have large numbers of people at the house.
As for the listing system, I feel like there has to be a better way to do things. Currently, we have to list everyone. That includes all girls, and all guys, and all members of the IFC and other houses who want to come by. While this does help us protect the guests we invite, that is only 1/2 the reason. The other reason for this is because the city police dept. has a budget for patrolling our parties, and routinely tries to get undercover officers in. And before you say I'm just being paranoid, we've got this confirmed by the sheriff and the Chief of Police. Ludicrous? Yes. Unconstitutional? Debatable. True? Absolutely.
Side note about cost, it's actually significantly cheaper for my to live in chapter housing than to get an apartment, and several thousand dollars cheaper compared to the dorms. Different campuses different budgets, I guess.
What the fuck is this?
A specific bunch of friends to drink with is awesome.
Frats are a nice way to get introduced to different people on campus. You can hang out with a bunch of frat brothers and get a bid for them and NOT join them. Most of them are cool people, but the dickholes speak louder than the good people and sully the reputation of frats altogether. It's like, a club for just the sake of being a club.
It's just, you know.
Band. :P
I feel sorry that you have such a limited number of friends. Me, I'll hang with any of my groups of friends, each from completely different parts of campus. Or randomly head to a party that my friend's at where I don't know anyone. Fuck the Greek system.
I had a very limited number of friends when I first started. But, I hung out with people on my floor, got introduced to the frat, and learned about different clubs which they encouraged me to go to. It was a nice experience for me, mainly because the Greek life was pretty regulated. No real hazing at all, and if a pledge thought he was getting hazed too hard, he could blow the whistle and they'd stop. All we really had to do was memorize the Greek alphabet.
EDIT - I never joined but I was always free to hang out whenever.
Still, our frats couldn't hold a candle to the band.