I posted a response to this a while back, but I am always pleased to give it again. So many people out there don't realize what goes on behind the scenes. Greek organizations take a lot of time, energy, and yes money. But what am I paying for really?
Indirectly
1) Lifetime membership into a national organization that supports not only local community service, but gives national aid as well.
2) Advancement in Leadership/Commitment skills
3) Networking
4) Resume builder (lots of employers like to see both social and professional organziations on resumes)
5) Organizational/Management skills (involving balancing school work, social life, extracaricular activities, clubs/greek organizations)
6) Life long sisters/brothers
The latter people have a problem with. But let me enlighten the few that really want to know the answer to this question. Just because we are members of a greek organization doesn't mean that we are best friends with all our sisters and brothers. But we DO have respect for them all. The facts are, you get a room of 30+ girls/boys and there is no way you are going to see eye to eye with every one of them. We don't fool ourselves into believing that we all will automatically click either. The reason why we got bids/invites is because the majority of the organziation saw something in us that they liked and thought could benifit thier organization. While pledging you are constantly proving yourself and how you can continue to benifit the organization in the future. You don't instantaniously become friends with everyone either. This is something you have to earn, like respect. As the process continues, respect grows as does friendships. Because you are a member of the organization, you will be backed by all the members, but on a more personal level, you might not be great friends with every member. Now that I cleared that up. . .
Directly
1) Dues (fraternities and sororities don't pay for themselves)
2) Insurance
3) House repairs (if there is a house)
4) Room rental (if you have to rent a room for your meetings)
5) Necessities (pens, pencils, paper. . .)
6) Badges and such
7) Other expensese that each individual sorority/fraternity might have
I hope that clears some things up.
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Mikki Gates
Delta Zeta Alum
Kappa Mu Chapter
Sigma Alpha Iota Alum
Eta Tau Chapter
"I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."
--Julia Roberts
(Steel Magnolias)
Visit me at:
http://homepages.go.com/~dzkm433/index.html
and
http://www.calypso.com/dzkm433/welcomtomyworld.chtml
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