At Freed Hardeman University, social clubs are a big deal (for those who may be wondering, a social club is like a PG-rated, co-ed version of a fraternity/sorority). They determine what colors you wear, your intramural sport fandom, what the lion in the commons looks like, what you do on the weekends, and usually where you sit in Gano. Whenever social clubs are discussed (especially when you are new on campus), there are a lot of stereotypes thrown around. According to the Oxford dictionary, a stereotype is "a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing." In this guide to social club stereotypes, I will discuss the stereotype, try to determine where it came from, and even seek to give a more balanced view; because, like with any stereotype, they're not 100% true (if they even are at all). Below the clubs are listed in almost perfect Greek alphabetic order in an effort to make Doug Burleson happy.
1. Xi Chi Delta: Careless
(I may or may not be affiliated with the aforementioned social club.) Xi Chi Delta has a reputation for being laid back to a fault. Some may even say we are careless. Our favorite things include victory dabs, tacky clothing, and "lol trains." The super-chill vibe often put out by members of Xi Chi is annoying to some, especially when displayed in the realm of intramural sports. Xi Chi is often cast in a kind of lackadaisical light as a group who just simply does not care. While there is some truth to our chillness and striving to not take things super seriously; we are not always completely laid back. Xi Chi still gives their best (or at least like 85%) in intramurals, tries to stay competitive in Makin' Music, and we take our devos and trying to show brotherly love super seriously.
2. Theta Nu: Weird
Theta Nu is the newest social club at FHU, and is sometimes perceived as a "weird" club, similar to the island of misfit toys in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. There are a lot of artsy people in Theta, and the club is full of eccentrics. However, I would never affirm that they are a "weird" club. The people in Theta are genuine, loving people who contribute a lot to the FHU community. Sure, some of their members wear fedoras on Fridays, or discuss their epic Dungeons & Dragons campaigns in Gano, but I think we can all agree that those things are pretty awesome.
3. Sigma Rho: Elitist
The talk about Sig stereotypes is always something about how they think they are better than everybody else. Sigma Rho has a lot of pride in the fact that they are the oldest club on campus. Sometimes, this pride gets misunderstood as arrogance. Add that to the fact that they are always formidable intramural opponents, their silence at Makin' Music, that they dress super nice every Wednesday, and that their club chant is basically a scoreboard (at least I can say that I'll never forget what 10+11 equals), and perhaps you can see why some people get a bad taste in their mouth when they talk about Sig. Honestly, there's a lot of unnecessary shade thrown Sig's way. Sig is filled with great people who are passionate about making the world a better place and excelling at FHU and beyond.
4. Phi Kappa Alpha: Redneck
There are some in Phi Kappa who would read the stereotype "redneck" and think, "What's so bad about that?" If you like rebel flags, jacked up trucks, and men in short cut-off jeans, then Phi Kappa is the club for you. In all seriousness, Phi Kappa really embraces this stereotype (even though some of its members aren't rednecks) and has a lot of fun with it, which is admirable. Phi Kappa is a stellar club when it comes to intramural sports and giving back to the community. They always seem to keep God first and have fun doing it, which is something you have to respect, even if their necks are red.
5. Chi Beta Chi: Holier-than-thou
Chi Beta Chi is often portrayed as the club full of Bible thumpers. Although I have never felt a sense of smugness from Chi Beta, they are the "Bible major club." As a Bible major not in Chi Beta, it's kind of weird. Everybody expects you to join Chi Beta when they discover you're a Bible major. Then when you go to major specific chapel and see that like seriously 90% of the Bible majors are flying high on the purple eagle, you begin to wonder if you're in the wrong club. Chi Beta is a very principled group with a passionate love for Jesus and their brethren. They very well might be holier than thou, but at least they don't rub it in (too often).
6. Gamma Tau Omega: Dead
R. I. P.
Let's have a moment of silence.
