“Who do you know here?” The words that every group of first years dread.
Door guards are a common feature of every frat party. Usually sitting on a couch or table, they can be found at the entrances up and down Rugby on the average weekend.
Door guards are also commonly disrespected by first years. Speaking from experience, I can understand why. I was once an unaffiliated first year myself. I remember the desperation to get a good ratio before going out. I remember feeling disappointed when half our group (the girls) were let in while the rest were left outside.
While such experiences are unfortunate, most first years do not understand the importance of the door guards. There are three main reasons why first years should respect a frat brother who is willing to work the door.
First and foremost, the fraternity is allowing you to come into their home. Some first years fail to realize that the frat houses are not just party spaces, but also living quarters. A metaphorical home for the brotherhood and a physical home for many of the brothers. That fact alone should give them the right to determine who is allowed inside.
Think about it this way. Picture the one person on your hall or suite that you talk to the least. Now, imagine asking them to allow you and all your friends to party in their room. What would your response be? No? Whenever you approach a fraternity, you are the person asking to party using another person’s home. The least you could do is ask in a respectful manner.
Secondly, door guards go a long way in making sure that everyone at the party has a good time. Most people go out looking for a party with some key features: good music, fun people, and a good ratio. Door guards make sure that the third aspect gets fulfilled. Getting a good ratio is not easy, and whenever a fraternity throws a party, they are starting at a disadvantage. When a party begins, there are already 40–60 brothers present. Without this method of maintaining a good ratio, no one would have a good time. This is also why door guards are tougher on letting groups of guys in. A group of all guys should realize that they are going to have to wait to be let in.
Most importantly, door guards help keep everyone safe. The point of going out is to have a fun, safe time. That can only be achieved if someone is monitoring who gets into the party. In some ways door guards are like security checkpoints at airports. They help make sure that sketchy or dangerous individuals don’t make it into the party. By no means is this a perfect system, but it does weed out the most obvious threats.
These are just a few of the reasons why door guards should be respected. Who knows, a little respect could get you a long way.
