There is more to Greek life than partying. Anyone who thinks otherwise is stereotyping and doesn’t know what they are talking about. In fact, there are at least three or four sober brothers in my fraternity who are having just as much fun as the rest of us.
One way they are able to get stuff out of the fraternity is through intramural sports, which are an underrated, but valuable aspect of Greek life because they bring you closer with your brothers and sisters, provide an alternative medium for fraternities and sororities to intermingle, and allow you to have fun without stressing over the career implications.
Most students will admit that the workload at Northwestern is tremendous, which is why it’s nice to take a couple hours out of our week to spend time with our fellow Greeks in a competitive environment, especially when you are just getting to know them.
Julian Gerez is a freshman in Delta Tau Delta who went through his pledging process during winter quarter. During that time he played basketball with other Delt’s and it made him feel more at home.
“[Intramural sports] really serves, not only as a way to stay in shape and get distracted from school, but to become closer to your brothers,” he said. “It was really a big factor in getting me to know some of my brothers more closely, and becoming friends with them.”
I can completely relate. Like Gerez, I played basketball with my fraternity during the pledging process my freshman year, and I got to see my brothers in a different light. I was blown away by the leadership ability that some of them possessed, especially when the scoreboard wasn’t in our favor. They went out of their way to provide pick-me-ups when a teammate looked frustrated. Sure they wanted to win, but they didn’t make anyone feel guilty if we lost.
Intramural sports also serve to provide a sober setting for fraternities and sororities to intermingle. Most fraternity-sorority events involve alcohol in one way or another, but in my personal experience, intramural sports are just as important to enhance relationships between chapters.
Alex Tabing is a sophomore in Alpha Chi Omega. She was formerly the intramural chair for her chapter, and has had a lot of experience playing alongside different fraternities.
“I feel like I get to know guys a lot better playing sports with them and stuff like that, rather than at a mixer,” she said. ”There’s something to be said about being on a team with someone, you really get to know people in a different way than just talking to them.”
I’ve played my fair share of co-rec sports as well, and can echo everything she said. I believe that you don’t really know someone until you’ve seen him or her experience a wide range of emotions, which is exactly what IM sports do for some people.
That being said, Tabing realizes the other added benefits of playing sports alongside her sisters.
“I think they are a good way to kind of break up the week,” she said, “and it’s fun to get out there with my sisters and just have a good time together.”
IM sports also offer a way for career-minded Greek students, to belong to something without worrying whether or not it will impress a future employer. Many Greek students, myself included, are involved in more than just Greek life on campus because we are constantly worried about building our resumes and securing internships to ensure that we won’t have a hard time finding jobs upon graduation. We understand how competitive the job market is these days and are doing what we can in order to “stand out” from other candidates.
While I agree that in order to get ahead you should get involved as much as possible, I’d also hope that Greek and non-Greeks are taking time for themselves to have fun once in a while. Gerez agrees with me on this front.
“I’ve joined so many things here at Northwestern, not just to put on my resume, but things for my future,” he said. “IMs are probably one of the one things that I can do literally just for fun with no other connotations, just being able to relax, and unlike playing video games or something it’s something that’s also productive.”
