How has your view of "Greek" changed over time?

[sageofages]

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

validation for what? I left because Greek life, contrary to promises, did nothing to further myself as a person -- character and career included.

Here is a question: Can you remain friends with someone who isn't "Greek?" Further, what if they oppose your view on joining.

Sorry to burst bubbles but the majority of people aren't greek and most people hate them -- for good reason.

Could I join a frat if I didn't want to pay? Why?

I joined to understand the Greek community and perhaps contribute in a positive sense but these ignorant responses have me questioning my judgement.

I am a firm believer in you get out of an organization what you PUT INTO it. So your statement of getting nothing out of it is quite telling.

I realize a majority of people aren't members of GLOs but I do not find in my personal experience that the "majority hate them". In fact, many have interesting questions about membership etc.

Could you join an organization like say the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of the USA and not pay? Could you join a non-GLO organization...Kiwanis, Rotary, a local country club, etc and "not pay".
Even a local bridge club or sports teams has costs associated with it. Every organization has costs to support its membership and the programs they offer. So your statement about "not paying" is really a smoke screen.

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by sageofages

I am a firm believer in you get out of an organization what you PUT INTO it. So your statement of getting nothing out of it is quite telling.

Co-sign. In all my years as an active, an alumna advisor, a professor and alumnae panhellenic officer I have yet to see any one who tried to get something out of their GLO fail to do so. No, those who complain that it didn't do anything for them are the same people who sat on the sidelines, let others do the heavy lifting, treated it like just another club, joined just to help their career, and somehow thought the ritual and wearing those letters would transform them with no effort on their part.

In answer to the op - I have grown from thinking only of my chapter and the GLOs at my campus to understanding the breadth and depth and scope of the Greek movement. I am awed when I look at the leaders - on every level of society - who continue to so positively impact their communities. I see thousands of women with whom I share a bond - both my sisters in Gamma Phi AND my NPC "cousins' - a bond which has enriched my life, and which has enabled me to challenge myself to aspire to live my creed every day.

[GreekRankings]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Co-sign. In all my years as an active, an alumna advisor, a professor and alumnae panhellenic officer I have yet to see any one who tried to get something out of their GLO fail to do so. No, those who complain that it didn't do anything for them are the same people who sat on the sidelines, let others do the heavy lifting, treated it like just another club, joined just to help their career, and somehow thought the ritual and wearing those letters would transform them with no effort on their part.

In answer to the op - I have grown from thinking only of my chapter and the GLOs at my campus to understanding the breadth and depth and scope of the Greek movement. I am awed when I look at the leaders - on every level of society - who continue to so positively impact their communities. I see thousands of women with whom I share a bond - both my sisters in Gamma Phi AND my NPC "cousins' - a bond which has enriched my life, and which has enabled me to challenge myself to aspire to live my creed every day.

Thanks for a thoughtful intelligent response. You're correct, not everyone who joins a sorority or fraternity is doomed to reenacting scenes from ANIMAL HOUSE or tallying sorority girls to be laid. My girlfriend is in Gamma Phi Beta and I will tell you that she is truly a leader in her sorority, however, she also understands the hypocrisy and drama that comes along with it.

[GreekRankings]

Originally Posted by sageofages

I am a firm believer in you get out of an organization what you PUT INTO it. So your statement of getting nothing out of it is quite telling.

I realize a majority of people aren't members of GLOs but I do not find in my personal experience that the "majority hate them". In fact, many have interesting questions about membership etc.

Could you join an organization like say the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of the USA and not pay? Could you join a non-GLO organization...Kiwanis, Rotary, a local country club, etc and "not pay".
Even a local bridge club or sports teams has costs associated with it. Every organization has costs to support its membership and the programs they offer. So your statement about "not paying" is really a smoke screen.

So was all this right out of the recruitment handbook? Remember, I was Greek for 4 years. I know what to say, "If you just cut out a Starbucks coffee a day you can afford dues." Would you dare call your sorority a club?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

So was all this right out of the recruitment handbook? Remember, I was Greek for 4 years. I know what to say, "If you just cut out a Starbucks coffee a day you can afford dues." Would you dare call your sorority a club?

GLOs are organizations, and as such, require funding to operate. If you were very involved in your (now ex-)organization, you should understand that.

You seem like you're just trying to stir up some trouble. You're asking for unbiased answers on a message board that's obviously going to be biased. When you do get responses, you try to shoot them down.

Why do you care so much? If you disaffiliated and don't have a need for fraternity/sorority affairs in your life, why are you so concerned about them?

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

Remember, I was Greek for 4 years.

Wait, you deactivated AFTER you graduated and had been a collegiate member for 4 years? In god's name, why?? Why not just be an inactive alumni? Why take the absolutist step of dropping your affiliation when basically there are no requirements or expectations for you to keep your membership anymore???

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

Just a quick introduction: I was a very involved Greek member in a national fraternity at a large SoCal university. I have since DA'd to focus more on my future after college. I have no animosity toward my fraternity or Greek members. To this day, I remain best friends with a handful of Greek students.

Question: Has your view or opinion of the Greek system changed since your induction? For the better or worse?

No, my view has not changed. I had a very high opinion of the Greek system before, and it has not changed. If anything, I have an even higher opinion of Greek Life now than before.

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

validation for what? I left because Greek life, contrary to promises, did nothing to further myself as a person -- character and career included.

Here is a question: Can you remain friends with someone who isn't "Greek?" Further, what if they oppose your view on joining.

Sorry to burst bubbles but the majority of people aren't greek and most people hate them -- for good reason.

I have remained friends with many people who are not "Greek". So the answer to your question is yes. I would add that the majority of my friends are not Greek and it is a non-issue with us. And to your follow up question, quite a few of my friends may have been opposed to my view on joining (i.e. Greek life was not for them). However, they respect my choice, just like I respect their choice. We know that Greek Life is not for everyone. And frankly, it was never intended to be. And as such, and perhaps simply because we *are* friends, we agree to disagree.

And while I would not be surprised to know that someone might "hate" me for my choice, it really is their issue and not mine. And while I am happy to try to educate them about my view, if they refuse to learn - or at the very least, understand my point of view - then there is little I can do to help them.

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

Could I join a frat if I didn't want to pay? Why?

I joined to understand the Greek community and perhaps contribute in a positive sense but these ignorant responses have me questioning my judgement.

My guess is there may be some sort of fraternity that does not require "official" dues. Frankly, I can not think of any. So you might need to do some research to find one. And to answer the question behind that question, like most everything else in the world, organizations (fraternities included) require capital to function. Either through dues, voluntary contributions, taxes, fees, expenses etc. As well as man hours. Otherwise, they might not function as intended. And while you did not ask this, if I may expand just a little bit more regarding dues, fraternities will work with their members who are in need of financial assistance. That is part of what being in a brotherhood is about.

I too am a firm believer that you get out of an organization what you put into it. It is a shame that you came away from your Greek Life experience with what seems to be any true understanding of what the Greek community is really about.

Originally Posted by GreekRankings

So was all this right out of the recruitment handbook? Remember, I was Greek for 4 years. I know what to say, "If you just cut out a Starbucks coffee a day you can afford dues." Would you dare call your sorority a club?

Club, sorority, order, society, fraternity - these are all just names. There is much more to fraternal organizations then what they are called. And while I am not in a sorority, I will say that I might call my fraternity a club if I felt it might help open a discussion about what my organization (fraternity) means to me and so many others.

Best of luck in your future endeavors.