What made you turn to Greek life?

[Kirain]

As much as I hate to admit it, I initially joined my fraternity for all the wrong reasons. Me and my friends from freshman year stereotyped affiliated people with party animals and people who pay for friendship. For some reason, every time we talked about greek life, it was always in a negative connotation.

It wasn't until who I thought of as my close group of college friends dissipated that I wanted to have a taste of the forbidden fruit. Looking back, I wanted to rush just so I could 1up them. I admit I may have been a little immature about it but that was one of the best decision I could have ever make in my life.

Being an only child, I never experienced what brotherhood meant until now. I feel foolish for ever stereotyping greek life; but at the same time I understand that it is something no one would understand unless they went through it themselves.

My only regret is not rushing my freshman year.


I'm interested in hearing stories on why people turned to greek life.

[33girl]

When I was a freshman, my boyfriend was a senior. Practically the only close friends I had were his friends. After he graduated, I didn't want to be alone. I also realized they only thought of me as "Ned's girlfriend" and not a true friend.

[wareagle93]

1.) It would be a good way to meet people (I'm from far away)-within my Fraternity.
2.) Community Service opportunities.
3.) It would be fun to go to various formals (also a good way to meet people).

[Callais]

I knew nothing about Greek life before I went through recruitment - in fact, when I heard someone say "Are you interested in going Greek?" from a table when I was on my way to class during my first week, my first reaction was like "Wait, what, are people trying to get college students to move to Greece??" ... I felt pretty stupid!

The idea of it was intriguing, though, so I registered, took home the pamphlet, and read up. What really cemented the idea for me, though, was when I told my family I was thinking about trying recruitment and my stepdad went "You? In a sorority?" and started laughing. Maybe it's not the best of reasons, but his disbelief that I could get in pretty much doubled my determination to see the whole thing through, if that makes sense?

Plus, I've never much liked relying on stereotypes to make my decisions about things. I prefer to experience them before I make up my mind.

When I went through recruitment, though, the biggest thing that stuck out was the amazing sense of sisterhood - all my life I've wanted something like that. Not only to have a sister, but to be a sister! I have a brother, but he's younger than me by two years - just close enough in age that he wants absolutely nothing to do with me. (Except to use my discount at work.) And besides that, the chapters on my campus did a lot to give back to the community - and since I'd had so many opportunities just because of where I lived, I wanted to be able to give back too!

And I guess the rest, as they say, is history.

[honeychile]

I honestly thought that anyone who wasn't in a fraternity or sorority had tried to get into one, but wasn't offered a bid. Remember, I was a very naive 16 year old!

[XAntoftheSkyX]

I had been exposed to all the usual stereotypes of Greek Life (the fraternties) and I believed them all. When Kappa Sigma tried to expand to my campus, I took that as a way to get the brotherhood, but without all of the negative things I had heard about. That didn't work out, but the next semester DChi expanded and I got everything I wanted.

[Leslie Anne]

It's embarrassing to admit but from the first time I heard about sororities, being a member of one seemed like the most important reason to go to college in the first place. (Obviously, I wasn't a serious student.)

My second reason for joining is no less embarrassing. I was pretty much a "ghost" in high school. Being accepted in college and having a certain status was intoxicating to me.

So, yeah, I joined a sorority for the wrong reasons but learned the true value soon enough.

[excelblue]

I was originally on the boat of making fun of Greek organizations. As a stupid freshman, I had this ridiculous plan where I was going to dig up evidence and make a mockery of the system. At the same time, wanting to leave my high school years behind and reinvent myself, I wanted to do something that would seem out-of-character for me.

Originally, I was too busy to check out the fraternities, so I was unaffiliated for a couple months. At that time, I found out that Triangle was colonizing on my campus via a mass email. I decided to check out the infosession just to see how ridiculous it could get.

So, I went to the infosession, and the consultant (sent from nationals) talked me into it. Life has its surprises.

[cheerfulgreek]

When I was a freshman at UND (University of North Dakota) I had friends who were greek that wanted me to join their organizations, but they were members of NPC and local traditional sororities which I didn't have any interest in. Plus, I had a dual major -zoology and biology with a minor in chemistry, so I was always studying, and I really didn't have time for anything like that. While I was attending UND, I excelled in all of my science classes, where I became a member of Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society. I later joined a Christian sorority after my sophomore year when I transferred to the University of Minnesota. I was in a summer vet medicine program in Kanas City where I met a friend who was in the same program I was in. She told me about a Christian sorority she was a member of. It seemed like something I would be interested in, so she invited me to one of the interest group meetings which I enjoyed, so I decided join, after going to a few more. That's what brought me to my organizations.

[CougADPi]

I went in to college thinking that Greek life wasn't for me. I was under the impression that sororities were only for the beautiful, rich girls, and I did not think I would fit in. The school sent me the recruitment brochure, and I held on to it for months, staring at the beautiful houses, wishing I could join, but feeling that there would be no place for me.

On my way to class, we would always walk past AOPi, and I loved their house. It was so awesome. But I still felt intimidated by the women in the houses. Eventually I met three women who were all in sororities, but did not fit my stereotype. Came as quite a shock when I was invited over to ADPi for a COB event and found out that all three were in ADPi. These were girls I liked and respected and who I felt I could be myself with. Two more events, and I was extended a bid. I accepted on the spot! It truly felt like coming home.

I never knew which one invited me over in the first place, but one was my big D, one was my Grandma, and the other is still a very close friend.