As another semester winds on down—my final one here at Clemson—I always like to look back and reflect on the decisions I made during my time as a Tiger; did I choose the right major? Did I get involved enough? Should I have gotten a meal plan? (Side note: yes; yes; and no. Definitely, no—have you been to Schilleter lately?). Everyone I feel like has a tendency now and again to ponder on the road not taken—it’s human nature to beckon the question of “what if?” But, on that same token, there is at least one decision I’ve made here that I’ve never had to look back on, and that was my decision to join Greek Life.

Here at Clemson, about a third of the student body is a part of the system—but the impact feels a lot bigger than that. It’s a big decision to go Greek, and one that’s surely crossed the mind of many a rising undergraduate as they decide how they’re going to make their mark at Tiger Town, UGA, or wherever they call home for the next four years. So in the spirit of things, I present to you—in no particular order—five reasons that you should go Greek:

1. It builds camaraderie and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Greek life’s expenses sometimes carry the unfortunate stigma of “paying for your friends,” but the reality couldn’t be farther from the truth. Those dues you pay to the organization are for social events, philanthropies, and promoting your chosen organizations. What Greek life is really all about is the bond you build with your brothers/sisters—a bond that runs deeper than friendship—that will last you the rest of your lives. These people are your family; your shared experiences and dedication to one another is something runs deeper than blood and is thicker than water.

2. It promotes good study habits.

One of the first things any potential new member ever asks during rush is always something related to pledging. How long is it? Will it affect my grades? Will I get hazed? (That last one accounting for about 90% of all pledging inquiries—we all love Animal House, guys, but that’s really not how things work around here, or anywhere for that matter). But as rigorous as the process may be, the habits and skills that get developed along the way have consequences more positive than any bows and toes session could ever yield. Greek life tends, overall, to have a higher than average GPA than that of non-Greeks; this is in no small part a result of mandatory study hours, internal committees that keep members grades as their top priority, and of course, never being short on people to go to the library with to study. I can’t go into Cooper without running into at least a handful of my brothers, and our education chair is always on top of renting a study room when the situation calls for it—which is quite often.

3. You do a lot of good for a lot of other people.

Philanthropy is a cornerstone of Greek life; always has been, always will be. Each organization on campus has one or two charities that they patronize through annual events like kickball tournaments, cook-outs, and other assorted fund raisers. In addition, its not uncommon for different organizations to team up for even larger events benefitting multiple worthwhile charities—my school just wrapped up Sigmapalooza, where (as the name implies) each Sigma-lettered fraternity (mine own included) came together to host a huge band party, with all the proceeds going to charity. And that’s all without counting the hundreds, if not thousands, of community service hours that Greek life volunteers annually.

4. You’ll get plenty of opportunities for Leadership.

A common analogy one could use to describe a fraternity would be to compare it to running a small business. You’ve got a collective of human resources that needs to be managed in the best way possible to maximize the amount of things you can do with it. And even if you’re not on the executive board, there are always plenty of positions that need a dedicated brother to step up for; be it making awesome event t-shirts or running the intramural sports teams. There’s something for everyone.

5. You’ll be a part of something larger than yourself.

After your four years (or five… or six… or seven…) at college are over and done with you’ll have a little more than a piece of paper to show for it should you choose to go greek; you’ll be a part of a network spanning the entire country. Your experiences with being Greek will not only provide plenty of fodder to talk about during your all important job interviews; it will provide you with a bastion of brothers wherever you go in life. Greek alumni can be found working behind the desks of every major business in the country, some of whom are probably from your chapter, or friends with someone you know from another chapter. If you move to a new city, you can look up your alumni network; see if you have anyone in the area from your organization that you could meet. All this and more is possible when you earn letters.

And one last thing—it’s short, and to the point, and didn’t require a whole paragraph to explain; but it’s important, nonetheless: you’ll have the time of your life, and you won’t regret it.

Go Tigers! And Go Greek!