The first fraternity was formed in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. Since those humble beginnings, 5,550 different chapters belonging to 75 different organizations have grown in the country and around the world. Unfortunately, these organizations are no longer as admired and respected as they once were.
Between movies like "Animal House" and "Neighbors", and the unfortunate tragedies that have been caused by hazing, fraternities are now viewed as a bunch of boys who want to get drunk and party for four years while they're in college. Now I am not naive, some of these stereotypes have been unfortunately filled by irresponsible people who honestly had no business being in college in the first place.
When I was entering college, I knew what I was majoring in, but had no idea where I would fit in the 26,000 piece puzzle that is Illinois State University. In an attempt to find where I fit, I decided to try rushing Greek life.
The rush process is pretty standard; you go to events hosted by different organizations and try to become a part of that fraternity. If they find you to be a good fit, they give you what's called a "bid". Now as a nervous freshman entering the rush process, I was hoping for that "golden ticket".
Unfortunately, I did not have that "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" moment where you run home all excited. I was more like Peter Griffin: I tripped over my own feet and spent 20 minutes moaning on the floor. After finding no success in Fall Rush, I basically gave up hope. Then I was offered an opportunity to join later in the year, and I lunged at it.
Now before I go any further, I want to make one thing very clear. This article is in no way attempting to discredit the integrity of other organizations. I strongly believe that especially now, Greek organizations need to come together and stand in unity. That being said, when I entered the fraternity, to say I was excited would be an understatement.
I jumped in head first and immersed myself in the fraternity culture. As the months went on, however, I began to notice that I didn't fit in. Everyone was finding their rhythm and making great friends, and I felt like I was just there to be there. Still, when I left the fraternity, it hurt. I was done with everything and everyone.
They say hindsight is 20/20, and I never really understood that until now. And honestly, I'm appreciative of what I was able to accomplish in the time after leaving that organization. I was able to work on myself, explore other interests, join different clubs, and I was able to come to the conclusion that I did not NEED to be in a fraternity to fit in. And frankly, no one does. You are not defined by the letters you wear on a t-shirt, you're defined by the content of your character.
Now I am not going to lie, I went through a stage where I was cynical. I denounced Greek life entirely and I wanted nothing to do with it. But I soon began to realize that I missed it. I didn't miss the socials or the 1,000,000 messages in the group text, what I missed was the sense of comradery. The sense of being a part of something bigger than myself was always appealing to me. I knew I needed to talk to my sister about my feelings.
As I opened up to her, my sister began to tell me about a new fraternity on campus. As she told me about Delta Upsilon, I couldn't help but be interested. As she gave me a phone number to contact and recruitment meetings were set up, I felt a wave of anxiety sweep over me. I was worried that the same things would happen. Even when I formally accepted my bid, I had doubts. But these were pointless fears.
In Delta Upsilon, I've found the meaning of Greek life that everyone talks about. We're working to challenge the negative stereotypes that haunt fraternities, and I genuinely feel like I can count on every one of these guys to be there for me and support me through hard times. I've made friendships that will last a lifetime, and I am going to be forever grateful.
If you have any apprehensions about rushing Greek life, I strongly suggest giving it a try. Every organization has something different to offer!