Misconceptions about GLOs
 

What are the biggest misconceptions about GLOs- especially those that result in negative attitudes.

The biggest one I have seen is that joining a sorority or fraternity is "buying your friends". In my freshman year of college, I developed an interest in them. This was even before joining A Phi O. I asked various friends of mine if they were in a GLO and they would say "No! That's buying your friends". And recently I asked my brother why did he never show interest in joining a fraternity. And he said it was because it was "buying your friends" and that he could get friends for free.

Another very sad one is that only a certain kind of person joins social GLOs. I asked one girl in A Phi O if she had gone to sorority rush. And she replied "No! I'm not that kind of person!". I still do not know if she meant the stereotype- but social sororities are not homogeneous. And a co-worker who saw my shirt with my Greek letters asked me surprisedly if I was in a sorority. I explained to her that A Phi O was a service fraternity. I assumed her surprise was because I certainly do not fit the stereotype and have very unique interests. But when I asked her if she had belonged to one, she was like "omigosh no" as if she did not think all that much of them and did not want to be in one because of that.

And another one is the "those are rich girl's longings" (I'm trying to translate from Spanish). That it is a superfluous wanting for rich girls- and thus possibly implying it was just for spoiled girls using their parents' credit card who perhaps just wanted to catch a rich husband and shop all day long and never do anything nice for anyone else.

Very inaccurate misconceptions indeed.

My little sister is starting college in the fall, and my little brother (SigEp) and I hear these things from her a lot. (She's very disappointed in her boyfriend because he plans to rush ... :rolleyes: ) We're the only two Greek members of our family, and everyone thinks the whole thing is beyond bizarre and completely pointless. They're quite hardcore about it ...

ETA: My aunt and cousin very firmly believe that all sorority girls will not leave their dorms/apartments/homes without full makeup and perfectly coordinated outfits. I've met people like this, but fewer than half of them were in sororities ...

One of the biggest misconceptions that I have come across are

1) All sorority and fraternity member do is drink and party. Every one (especially the guys in the EE building) think I'm a big drinker and I'm usally a DD even though I'm 21.

2) If a girl a virgin when she signs her bid, she will not be one by initiation. (I really hate this one. I think its one of the worst)

3) Buying your friends (But I also tell them that they have bought some of their friends because they pay to go to school and they wouldn't have met those friends otherwise)

4) Naked pillow fight or a lot of girl on girl action (Why do boys insisit that this true? )

This is so right!:(

But, no one actually sees what is done by Greeks over all and what is gained by them as Members.

The ones who say they pay for friendships of a Greek Organization are under a blanket and their head in the sand.

I have been lucky enough to never have bought friendships as a Founder and still to this day keep in contqact with many Brothers from My # to a lot higher #'s.

I have also met so many Friends from G C from other Organizations who are neat people and want to be sure to call them Friends.

The learning of cooperation, running, working side by side with My fellow Members is something that I have never forgotten in 41 Years.

I learned so much more doing what I did with MY Organization that it is hard to explain!

One thing that sticks in My mind is not being able to speak in front of people.

I had to learn! I did learn!:)

As one goes on, it is nice to find Brothers/Sisters who if they need help can depend on fellow members.

I've gotten the "buying your friends" thing quite a bit. Never mind that almost every other organization there is has some sort of dues/fees for activities/whatever. It's only GLOs that get that comment.

And don't forget all women in sororities are evil snobby bitches who are only in school for the MRS degree and all guys in fraternities are drunks and rapists.

If that is the case, then why are All Greek GPAs higher than the Avg.?

Evil Snobby Bitches?

No, they just find a common ground to bond with! They have many things in common.:)

They learn how to lead, work with, get better grades and have a better perspective when they graduate!:D

They are not Lab Rats who are taught to go through the maze.

Biggest misconceptions:

#1 Buying friends.

#2 Members of GLOs can only/will only speak to people in their own houses or other GLOs. They do not associate or deal with independents.


These are they misconceptions I dislike the most.

Well, in response to paying for my friends, I generally say either its because A) I can afford to, or B) its not true, because I hang out with people in other fraternities and sororities as well...

All seriousness aside...I don't like the image that all fraternity guys are drunk idiots who grunt and rape girls. Granted, we're quite good at drinking, but we're generally gentleman and enjoy hanging out at a classy bar or at the golf course more than crushing cans on our head or tossing kegs around.

Another one, kinda different, is the image of "fratty" that is going around. Whats most annoying is when like urban campuses have fratty parties and such, where people cock their hat to the side, pop their abercrombie polo, etc...Somehow dressing nicely got mixed with more city/ghetto dress, which is weird. In my experience, fraternity guys collars are rarely popped (unless it happened on the boat), our shirts are brooks brothers, not abercrombie, and our khakis are pleated, not cargo. I know that probably sounds snobby, its just annoying when I see a picture of some fratastic theme party which should have been entitled "Jersey Shore theme party."

I've heard all of the above more than I care to think about, but one stands out: the naked pillow fights.

I once told my then-fiance & his non-greek friends that, in four years of college, I never once took place in a pillow fight, let alone a naked one. When I said that, the one guy said, "Oh, come on! We need something to fantasize about!"

So, it's become a standard joke: "Yes, we took Quota and made Total and had the Homecoming Queen, and yes, still found time for our nightly naked pillow fights!" :rolleyes: Sometimes, making fun like that makes for better relations.

I have heard all of these sterotypes I can't stand hearing them! I too have also be wearing letters and had people seem to me "You don't seem like the sorority girl type." That really irks me! I gained so much from having been active thru the leadership postions that I held. It was the best decision I ever made! :)

haha, yeah right, like naked pillow fights don't happen.

I don't see anything wrong with people using their GLO to make associations (some of which may turn into friendships)--that is one of our purposes.

I always thought it was dumb for people to say "without XYZ, you all wouldn't know each other and/or be friends."

Well...maybe not, but DUHHHHH.

Some people wouldn't be friends if they hadn't gone to the same undergrad...or worked at the same job...or gone to the same church...or both volunteered for the Urban League...or known the same person who hooked them up with each other. Does that make all of these other social outlets or organizations a bad thing, too? :rolleyes:

In no way does that make social outlets or organizations a bad thing in any way. While some people are super duper sociable and make friends everywhere, most people do meet their friends through clubs and activities they join.

I think the people who talk about "buying your friends" refer specifically to the high costs of belonging to a social GLO that has a house. At my undergrad university, due to the big houses, the sororities could get very expensive (not sure about the fraternities). Many organizations do not have a fee for joining. And some non-social GLOs may have smaller dues- such as A Phi O. I do not know what the same people would have said about "buying your friends" or "rich girl's longings" at a school that did not have Greek housing or where Greeks were housed in specific residence hall floors or the sort.

Precisely...

My standard reply to buying my friends is;

At least I bought the best.