Joining a Greek organization is a lifelong commitment which can be one of the best decision you make during your undergraduate or graduate years. Although joining a Greek organization may not be for all of your friends, it could be for you. Despite the various stereotypes surrounding Greek life, there are countless benefits of joining a Greek organization which will allow you to mature and appreciate joining in the long run.
Personal Development
As an engaged member of a sorority/fraternity you will develop transferable skills which will allow you to be an asset to whatever project, group or organization which you decide to dedicate your time to in the future. Depending on the role you plan in your organization, some of these skills will include effective communication, team work, leadership, organizational, event planning and time management. Although it would be nice if everything we set out to do unfolded perfectly, that is quite unrealistic; therefore, as a member of a Greek organization you will become very accustomed to receiving constructive (and not so constructive) criticism. Being able to accept criticism is a crucial skill to develop because in the real world, if you are unable to accept that you are not a perfect angel, you will fall flat on your face, hard! No one likes someone that thinks they know it all, and usually the criticism is delivered to help you, not hurt you. And, while it is important to be able to receive constructive criticism, it is equally important to know how to deliver it. Going back to effective communication, as a member of a Greek organization, you will learn that delivery, tone and word selection is very important. Thus, you will quickly learn how to effectively communicate your ideas, critics, and suggestions in a manner which does not offend, but assists. And, if you fail to do so, your fellow sisters/brothers will be sure to provide you with some lovely "sisterly/brotherly correction."
Friends for Life
99.9 percent of the time when you join a Greek organization, you don't have a say as to who is being selected to join with you. This may be uncomfortable at first because you feel like you're being forced to become friends with random strangers. However, this is experience is what you make of it. Optimistically speaking, it is assumed that the respective women and men are joining organizations under similar circumstances—they want to give back to the community through service, they want to have a family away from home or they may be legacies wanting the same experience as their parents. Whatever the circumstance may be, the reasons you decide to seek membership in a particular organizations are points of conversations which can lead to further discussion and bonding. If you effectively and genuinely invest your time in developing relationships with your "pledge class or intake sisters/brothers," your lifelong commitment will be much more enjoyable and worthwhile. This is not to say that you will not be faced with fighting and/or disagreements; however, the important part of developing these relationships is to "learn how to get over circumstances as adults, and not get over one another."
Networking
There are numerous Greek-letter organizations out there, and each organization has thousands of members. Being a member of a Greek organization introduces you to a new network of people. Wherever you go, you are bound to find a sister, "soror*," brother or "frat" somewhere in the crowd, or just another Greek member. As a collegiate members, the extensive networks are beneficial when you are looking for someone to teach you more about the organization, when seeking a mentor in a particular field, traveling or relocating to different cities or when looking for a job. As a new member, this was and still is one of my favorite parts of Greek life because I find it very comforting to know that although I may not know people everywhere, if I have a soror*, I have a friend in that place. It is also important that even if a person is not a member of your organization, you all are able to bond over the fact that you are both members of a Greek organization. The Greek community is unique, and you never know how meeting other members of the Greek community can influence a person and the memories it can bring back for them.
*Soror is a sister or a fellow member of one's sorority
Your Social Life Will Flourish
For many people, this is the primary they are attracted to Greek organizations, which is not bad; however, this should not be only reason you participate in Greek life. As a member of an organization, your social life has the potential to change instantaneously. You will most likely receive more IG, Twitter and/or Facebook followers and friends/lurkers, more people may view you as a role model (because they want to join your org or because they like you) and more opportunities to party and have fun will present themselves. While these things are all great, and you shouldn't feel bad about partying with your friends, sisters and brothers, it is important to remember you are still the person you were two seconds ago when you weren't Greek.
Having letters across your chest means you pay dues into an organization which stands for scholastic excellence, service to the community, sisterhood/brotherhood and other principles/pillar which define your organization. It does not change your "status" and turn you into a collegiate celebrity. You still need to have respect for people, including your "old friends," and remember: it is OK to not be Greek.
If you've made it this far, you're a trooper, and I always like to say how much I appreciate my readers. As you have seen, this was a pretty in-depth article because Greek life is something I am very passionate about, and I think it's important to share with potential members some of the real and positive benefits of joining a Greek-letter organization.
If anyone (Greeks or non-Greeks) has any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me on Facebook, Instagram (@readthephineprint) or Twitter(@skmoneyy). As the FGCU National Pan-Hellenic Council President, one of my goals is to serve as an un-bias resource for the community; thus, I am always willing to answer questions or direct you to the appropriate person, while upholding confidentiality.
