Deciding Whether to Join a Fraternity or Sorority

To be on not to be Greek, that is the question that you must ask of thee. A majority of college campuses, especially those of the larger four year universities have Greek organizations for males and females. These are known as Fraternities and Sororities. There may be many reasons why you may want to join one. You might want to meet new people, socialize with individuals who share the same interests that you have or want to be with those who like to party and have a good time.

To many new college students, a campus can be intimidating. This most likely is the first time they have been away from home. If you are one of those individuals who want to turn tail and call your parents to come and get you, you might want to consider joining a Fraternity or Sorority. Think of one as your home away from home.

With so many organizations on campus, you will find one that will fit your needs and help you reach your goals. You will find out that these organizations are not stereotypical as the ones portrayed in movies such as "Revenge of the Nerds" and "Animal House." Not all organizations have a major goal of who can drink the most.

Before you decide to pledge a specific organization, check out which ones are on the campus that you are attending. Since chapters vary from campus to campus, do not base your decision just because of what you heard about from a different campus. Know the reputations of each organization that you are considering. Even if you join an organization that has a bad reputation and you find out that is not true, it may affect you later on in life. Having a Fraternity or Sorority on your resume may help you land your dream job. However, if there is a tarnished reputation, this might help you on the job search.

Once you have researched the reputations of each organization, narrow down your choices to see which ones would be right for you. For example, you may be more interested in getting good grades than by participating in athletics. Therefore, you would not want to consider joining an organization that is for jocks. You want to be with others who share similar interests. It is best to know a few members from each organization and ask questions. When you show interest, these people will be key supporters when you pledge to join.

Find out the financial and time commitments of each organization. In addition to fees, you may have to go to events, purchase specific clothing and pay housing costs. In addition, you will be required to go to house meetings. Plus, do not forget about the pledge activities that you must be involved with in order to get accepted into the organization. These will cut into your social time and you may have to put some activities on hold so you can keep up with your studies.

When you decide to join a Fraternity or Sorority, you will be expected to make your Greek life the main priority on the college campus. If you think you can do this as well as balance your classes and studies, you may want to consider joining one of the many organizations that your campus has to offer.