Everyone that has been a college freshman at one point in time knows that once you get to college, you'll have organizations throwing involvement pamphlets at you like confetti. It's hard to keep track of all of that information and it’s even harder to decide what you want to dedicate your time to when it feels like every organization on campus is fighting to hold your attention. Something to take in to consideration when deciding on what organizations to join is to make sure you join something that will help you grow as not only a student but as a person too. Greek life organizations are one of the top organizations on campus that aim to create a fun college experience for students, pushing members to do their best in academics and leadership while creating bonds that will last a lifetime along the way. If that isn't enough to convince you to go Greek, here are 10 more reasons to consider going Greek.
1. You'll create a legacy.
Joining a fraternity or sorority means you're going to get a big sister to guide you through the process of becoming an initiated member and eventually you could become a big sister for someone else! You'll become a part of, and eventually continue, your family legacy.
2. You'll get to help those in need.
Fraternities and sororities have philanthropies that they dedicate their time to, allowing members to give back to the community and help those in need. Philanthropy events often raise a ton of money for charities across the country.
3. You'll never feel alone.
Joining a Greek life organization means you gain numerous brothers and sisters that are going to be involved in a variety of things on campus. Chances are you won't be able to walk around your campus without running in to a brother or sister so you'll never feel lonely while you're at college.
4. You gain a support system.
When you join a Greek life organization, you'll gain support from not only current organization members but past members as well. Alumni from many organizations like to help out current members in any way possible and current members are always around to help you out with anything. College has its hard moments, having a support system to get you through those hard moments is extremely important.
5. You're given the opportunity to grow as a leader.
Growing as a leader is not something that magically happens overnight after joining a Greek life organization, you're not going to wake up the morning after bid day and think, "I'm a leader in my campus and community now!" Being a leader is something you have to continually work at but if you take full advantage of all of the opportunities presented to you during your time in Greek life you will definitely grow as a leader.
6. The social aspect
Though this definitely is not the main focus of Greek life, it is a major perk. Being involved in a fraternity or sorority means you get to participate in socials and mixers with other Greek life organizations, which is a good reminder to stop and really enjoy college every now and then! College won't last forever, enjoy it while you still can!
7. Scholarship opportunities
Many Greek life organizations offer scholarship opportunities to their members. Some of these scholarships are need based, while others are focused on rewarding academic achievement. With tuition getting higher each year, this is definitely a perk of Greek life worth looking in to.
8. Connections throughout the community and campus
Being involved in Greek life will allow you to create multiple connections in both the community and on campus. You'll have the chance to create relationships with people that are going to be useful during your time in college, and maybe even post-graduation when you begin looking for a job or begin applying to grad school.
9. You get to be a part of breaking the stereotype.
Though it is fun to throw around the terms "Total Sorority Move (TSM)" or "Total Frat Move (TFM)," it’s all just for fun and the TSM/TFM stereotype is not what Greek life is really like. As mentioned earlier, there is a social aspect to Greek life that plays a role in what the organizations do but it’s definitely not the main focus for Greek life organizations so don't let that stereotype deter you from joining Greek life, instead play a role in proving that stereotype wrong.
10. It's not just four years, it's for life.
Most people believe that Greek life only plays a role in a members life while they're still in college, but the truth is that it lasts much longer than that. Graduation does not mean that you lose or forget your letters, it just means they start to represent some of your favorite college memories and the growth you've gone through since first joining. They also continue to hold possibilities, allowing you to become involved in alum chapters and help out college members that now fill the shoes you once stood in yourself.
So if you're about to head off to college, be prepared for all of the involvement opportunities you're going to be presented with and take a good look at what those opportunities have to offer you!
