My Greek Philosophy

Merits of Fraternities and Sororities Depend on the College, and You

By Caitlin J. Noris
Special to The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition

According to my semi-unofficial College Dictionary, a "frat boy" is a brother prone to overindulging in cheap beer, laziness and general rowdiness. "Sorority girl" is similarly defined as a sister who enjoys meaningless girl chatter, dancing on top of bars and constantly grooming herself.

These stereotypes-like all stereotypes-are somewhat removed from reality. Greek organizations, as fraternities and sororities are known collectively, have long been fighting the perception that they are elitist, boorish, cruel and materialistic. They have cited their members' strong community service and academic records as proof that Greek life can be good.

But just as fraternities and sororities were starting to win the public image battle, "reality" television intervened. MTV's recent shows "Fraternity Life" and "Sorority Life," which promise viewers an inside peek into Greek life, only served to reinforce existing stereotypes. There was hazing, backstabbing and gossip. I can only imagine how many high school students were turned off to Greek life by what they saw on television.

So what is the reality? Is Greek life a blessing or a curse on college campuses?

I firmly believe it comes down not only to the person joining but also to the individual chapter. I can't tell you which groups will fulfill those stereotypes and which will defy them. I can, however, give you my honest appraisal of both sides of Greek life-the good and the bad.

The Good

There's no doubt about it. When freshmen arrive at college, many of them feel isolated and confused, especially if they don't know anyone. It's completely normal to feel this way. As I've written before, joining an on-campus organization can be the key to meeting new people and discovering new interests.

Many freshmen view Greek organizations as a sort of prepackaged deal-you get friends, a social life and prestige all in one swoop. Sororities and fraternities provide freshmen with a social structure that most people take months to assemble. Get into a frat, and you've made 50 new friends in a matter of weeks!

Randall Weinstein, a junior at Carnegie Mellon University, says joining a fraternity gave him "easy access to a social atmosphere, easy access to a lot of extracurricular activities, and the ability to take strong leadership roles."

In fact, including a Greek organization on your resume, especially if you hold a leadership position, can be very impressive to future employers. Like getting involved in any on-campus organization, it illustrates that you can make a serious commitment and work well with others.

Moreover, fraternities and sororities work hard to get members involved in community service. "We generally do one philanthropic activity a month, from distributing bike helmets to raise awareness about brain damage," says Randall. He adds that community-service events are even required for new pledges.

"I would suggest that every freshman seriously consider going Greek," concludes Randall. "I always say that it's the best decision I made since coming to college."

The Bad

With all of those advantages, it seems as if every college student would be dying to join a fraternity or sorority. But wait. Those ugly stereotypes we talked about exist for a reason.

Despite the fact that all Greek national organizations and colleges forbid hazing on paper, it does occur. Hazing often comes in the form of peer pressure, and fraternities in particular are often blamed for the proliferation of college binge drinking. Statistics show that Greeks tend to drink more often and in larger quantities than their non-Greek peers. For some chapters, alcohol and peer pressure are necessary ingredients of their rituals.

Lauren, a sophomore at a Pittsburgh college who joined a sorority her freshman year but later quit, says her sisters' behavior was too much to take. "They partied a lot, went to the fraternities all the time, got involved with the same boys, and drama always broke loose," she says.

Lauren also felt trapped in her sorority. "I would become angry and depressed," she recalls. "It was hard for me to leave the [sorority suite] for the day and know that I would have to return."

Other former Greek members who chose to drop out complain that pledging, while it does provide opportunities to meet new people, boxes them in socially. Moreover, many say that the pledging process-with interviews and rushing activities-simply takes too much time. A first-semester freshman is already trying to juggle living in a different location, studying more and missing home. Some freshmen will find it difficult to balance all the new things going on in their lives.

Wait and Watch

Obviously, Greek life isn't for everyone; but those who do decide to rush should keep a couple of things in mind.

First, consider waiting to pledge a fraternity or sorority until after your first semester. You're already going to have a lot on your plate. Putting off pledging will give you time to make other friends and establish good study habits. It will also give you a chance to get to know the Greek organizations at your school a little better.

"I would just like students to investigate the sorority or fraternity they decided to pledge and consider some of the rumors they hear," Lauren advises. "Because my logic is that [the rumors] had to originate from somewhere."

Second, a good fraternity or sorority will never pressure you to do something you're not comfortable with. I cannot stress this enough. As true "brothers" or "sisters," they should help you through your college career, not hinder you. Remind yourself that joining a Greek organization should not define you, but help you grow as a self-respecting person.

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