Stereotypes are hard to overlook, even though you may consider yourself an open-minded person. It is actually human nature to join others that have the same interests as you, and this leads to social norms and pretty much everything under the sun from racism to declared sexualities.

But the stereotype I confront now is Greek Life.

To establish my ethos, I will let you in on a little secret: I was not born with letters branded on my chest. The thought of being Greek didn’t occur to me until well through my first semester at App. I had the same thoughts about Greeks as some others do and I feel like the worst hypocrite in the world because I am Greek now. But all things considered, we learn through experience and that is my excuse.

At any rate, now that I have the experience I would like to share it with you. My hopes are not to make you love Greeks and pull you into the Greek system, but to encourage you to understand that yes, it is a common stereotype but I can guarantee that you fit in one as well.

Three little phrases hold the outline of my explanation. Phrases that I once said and can now prove wrong.

“All Greeks drink!” Sorry guys, but alcohol consumption is a personal choice, resulting from peer pressure or not. The individual may be a sloppy drunk, but a Greek organization as a whole is very responsible by following the Panhelinic bylaws. And just to make sure that the drunks are taken care of, brothers and sisters sign up to drive “beeper” and everyone holds this responsibility at least once a semester. Another common expression is “You shouldn’t have to pay for your friends.” Monthly dues pay for Mixers and Functions. This includes the hired security guards, decorations, food and insurance, in case someone gets injured. Monthly dues also pay to rent clubs to hold Mixers and Functions and pay rent for Fraternity houses.

“Social Cult” is a common name for sororities and fraternities. Greek organizations are supported by a TRADITION held since 1776. The following is an excerpt from the booklet I received upon entering Phi Mu fraternity.

“The American college fraternity system began in 1776 when Phi Beta Kappa was founded as a secret social and literary fraternity. Its purpose was to promote patriotism and culture. The fraternity system is one part of American higher education that is truly an American phenomenon. 

Nearly every other aspect of our educational system was influenced by the English, the Germans or other European nationalities. 

All fraternities founded after 1814 had essentially the same purpose—the social, intellectual and moral improvement of their members. Fraternity men and women agreed that people are social beings, and that fraternities were ‘the expression of social need.’ Social was defined as the development of one’s potential for good interpersonal relations: not parties and socializing.  

The natural “law of association,” the desire to love and help one another, the belief in the basic goodness of humankind and in the human community were expected of all prospective members. Fraternities selected a common purpose in life, based on the ideals of brotherhood and sisterhood as their unifying factor.”

If you didn’t easily understand the above, it basically said that Fraternities and Sororities are the only area of education America can claim. And to 
support our American individuality, we should be proud to say that we initially invented honorary societies to support culture and individuality. 

Just as the excerpt said and just as I said earlier, we all have the desire to be around those like us.

Every Greek organization also supports their philanthropy, or a nonprofit organization such as The Children’s Miracle Network. Through fundraisers and volunteering, an organization can raise as much as eight thousand dollars a year that is directly donated to these nonprofit organizations.

Just remember that every Greek organization, as any organization, have founders, traditions and rules to abide by. Each member has the responsibility to feed the advancement of the organization to which they belong. The only way to get any benefit from anything is to put inspiration into it. Members of organizations work together to serve the same purpose as did the founders of the organization. As members of an organization, we serve our Tradition.

If reading this article had no affect on you what so ever, and you still hate Greeks, let me ask you to consider any clubs and organizations to which you may belong. Do you not serve the same purpose in advancing the tradition of your organization? Let me ask you to question your standing as a human being. The stereotype will always exist, but I am asking you to look over that stereotype. 

Look beyond those letters and get to know the individual.  It will make you feel better to know that you can be different and fulfill your natural desire to communicate with others just like you, letters or not.