I'm sure we can all agree that stereotypes are a poor way to evaluate an individual, right? You would not want someone to consider themselves an expert on your life just because of something society perpetuates. As obvious as this might seem, stereotypes still dictate, in the eyes of many, what a fraternity man is. Back before I joined a fraternity, the media, movies or TV shows told me what it meant to be affiliated with Greek life. Now that I've had a year and a half of being in a fraternity under my belt, I've decided it's time to address some of those stereotypes.
1. We pay for our friends.
This saying has been so overused, frankly, it's laughable at this point. Before I joined, I had made plenty of friends at college whether it was through other organizations or on my floor in the residence hall. I didn't need a fraternity for that. I joined because I wanted brotherhood, which is something I didn't really have in high school. I wanted a family of guys who I could count on for support, encouragement, honesty and mentorship. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't always get along with all of my brothers, but at the end of the day, I know they will always look out for me.
2. All we do is party.
For some reason, people assume the only thing we are capable of doing is throwing a party. While fraternities are known to have parties, we also contribute to our colleges or universities and communities in various ways. Members of fraternities, at least at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) can expect to participate in at least 15 hours of community service per semester on top of classes, extracurriculars, jobs and internships. Philanthropies put on by these same fraternities raise money for a wide array of charities or organizations. Phi Kappa Psi at BGSU, for example, throws an annual Raft Race to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of America every year on top of other philanthropic events.
3. Greek life is all we care about.
Once again, speaking about my experience at BGSU, but you'll notice some of the most active individuals on campus are those affiliated with Greek life. Fraternity men are and have been involved in a wide array of organizations such as undergraduate student government, dance marathon, President's Leadership Academy, residence life and more. We are a little more well-rounded than we get credit for.
4. We haze our new members.
This is a common horror story people hear about on the news, but these are rare occurrences. During my time spent pledging my fraternity, I was treated with nothing but the utmost respect. We have a strict zero hazing policy at my university and within my fraternity. As brothers, we hold ourselves accountable for our actions and make sure we are living up to the values we hold.
These are only a few of the stereotypes I've heard since I've become a member of a fraternity. Ruling out a group of people based on a preconceived notion someone planted in your head is ridiculous. We might not all be perfect, but I can guarantee we are more than the labels society puts on us.
