How going Greek can improve your college experience

A sorority sister’s take on the greatest benefits of a Greek membership

Joining a fraternity or sorority certainly does come with a few downsides. The time commitment, the financial obligations, and even the hazing. It can seem tempting to sign up when your friends go and join one of these organizations. Should you actually try it yourself? Can it somehow enrich you in the time that you spend in college?

In the media, joining one of the various Greek-lettered college social organizations called fraternities or sororities is often portrayed as special, secretive, and exclusive and privileged. Reputations for parties, extra privileges, and more are some things new members need to think about. I know when I first arrived at Arizona State, I was skeptical of these groups as first. Joining a fraternity or sorority certainly does come with a few downsides. The time commitment, the financial obligations, and sometimes even the hazing can be deterrents for many students.

But it can also be so much fun to belong to a group with a name like Alpha Delta Phi or Alpha Epsilon Pi – it makes you feel like you’re part of an ancient, magical order. It can seem tempting to sign up when your friends go and join one of these organizations, and when my friends joining, I wasn’t sure what would be right for me.

So is Greek life right for you? If you’re not sure, here’s a sorority sister’s take on some of the greatest benefits that come with a Greek membership. Make your college experience a little more memorable through these ideas.

The camaraderie makes it worthwhile

There’s often a different, more committed feeling to the friendships and networks built within fraternities and sororities. While you can certainly make friends outside of the group, the special “insider” feeling that comes with socializing with those belonging to an order can make a difference. Often, these close-knit relationships go far beyond graduation day.

You get academic support

Starting out at college can be much easier when you are part of an organization. Older members make a point of letting you know what departments are best, which classes come with the best professors, and so on. If you should actually find yourself struggling with a particular class, fellow brothers or sisters may be a source of tutoring help, too. It’s a great resource for getting a head’s-up on your courses.

There are professional networks to benefit from

Affiliations to Greek-lettered organizations often allow members lifelong access to professional networks spread out over various industries. Such networks can be invaluable in securing recommendations, interviews, and other opportunities. You might be surprised to find what resources are available through these connections after graduation.

The service and leadership opportunities are limitless

After graduation, when it’s time to apply to your first position, your resume will rarely look complete without a good deal of leadership and community service experience. If you were by yourself in college, you wouldn’t know which way to head to get started. Greek organizations make it effortless when you need to come by such opportunities.

Access to unbelievable learning opportunities

Greek-letter organizations often organize events and gatherings for members to allow them to get in touch with achievers in their midst, both those currently in college, and those who have left and made their name in the world. It would be hard for anyone to access such opportunities on their own.

Better housing options are always a good thing

When you haven’t decided where you will live, or not even if it will be on campus or off, it can be comforting to know that your sorority or fraternity has a house somewhere close to the campus just for its members to take advantage of. This one reason alone can make membership worthwhile. Not only are the quarters likely to be much more luxurious than the average college dorm room, there are likely to be all kinds of benefits to living right next to members of the organization as well.

There may be scholarships to tap

Many Greek-lettered organizations have their own scholarship and financial aid programs. If nothing else, many of these organizations offer a waiver of all dues (they call them membership scholarships).

There’s just the feeling of being part of a tradition

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On some of the oldest campuses around the country traditional Greek-lettered organizations have histories running back centuries. Phi Beta Kappa began 240 years ago; Delta Upsilon has a history dating back to 1834. It can be a special feeling being part of something with such history.

If you’re active in the group, there’s a lot to learn

While it’s possible to coast your way through membership on autopilot, many who join do take an active interest in the goings-on in these groups. Doing this, they often learn lessons more important to professional success than mere academic lessons. They learn to handle interpersonal politics, to negotiate their way out of crises, and to see up-close how people tend to behave in positions of power. Often, these are areas of experience that can actually go on a resume. Hiring managers do recognize the advantage of taking on applicants with plenty of Greek-letter organizational experience.

You have a chance to prove the unbelievers wrong

Not everyone sees the Greek life as a great thing. When you share with someone the news that you’re part of a fraternity or sorority, often, they’ll give you grief about being part of a cult of some kind. It can be hard to fight stereotypes such as these. Yet, joining and getting to take advantage of the benefits available can be a great way to silence these critics. You can display your sorority paddles with pride and take advantage of the resources and experience the organizations offer without changing anything about yourself.

Greek-letter organizations are a growing influence

More and more, the most powerful members of any college tend to be members of Greek-letter organizations. Students from wealthy and powerful families always congregate in these organizations. Joining can come with important lessons, and an opportunity to study up close how power actually works. Such opportunities tend to only available to those who are part of the group.

Certainly, joining an organization isn’t the same for everyone. It tends to work out better for some more than others. For some, coming by membership can be an endless wait and for others joining can be nearly instantaneous. If you can get in, however, you have an instant social life, and opportunities of every description. If nothing else, that alone should appeal. There’s always a feeling of pride wearing a hat or a t-shirt with those Greek letters.

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Arizona State University