Aiding college freshmen with making new friends and finding their community, sororities and fraternities (frats) can help new students meet new people and become part of an established community on campus.
The topic of sororities and frats has been commonly shed in a negative light with media headlines usually revolving around terrible hazing accidents and houses being suspended due to unsafe activities.
Although Greek life is often depicted as just a bunch of students partying all the time, there are many different types of sororities and fraternities.
Social sororities and frats tend to be the most well known, however there are also academic/professional, religious and cultural houses. This means students can find which type of house is best suited for them and their interests.
While the process of joining a sorority or frat may seem ultra exclusive and decisive, rushing, a recruitment period where potential members get interviewed and complete tasks, serves as a way to find eager students who will best fit with the existing house members. This makes the transition for new inductees easier, knowing they are joining a house of like-minded women and men with similar values and goals.
Once a member, students have access to a variety of extracurricular activities and opportunities. From internships and leadership positions, to volunteer projects and social events, being part of a sorority or frat allows students to become more active members of their school and local community.
This creates a sense of belonging for students which, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is a vital need only beaten by the need for safety and the basic physiological needs of food, water, shelter, etc.
Combating the partying stereotype, the Greek system is the largest network of volunteers in the U.S., with members donating over 10 million hours of volunteer service as well as nationally raising over $7 million each year according to statistics provided by the University of New Mexico.
Involvement in Greek Life also connects students with a large network of alumni not only from their school’s chapter, but nationally.
According to Newport Institute, 62% of Greek life alumni report career well-being post-grad, whereas their nonaffiliated counterparts only reported 34% career well-being.
With networking being extremely beneficial post-college, having access to past members working in various professions opens up doors for unique chances including mentorships, internships and possible job opportunities.
Along with students making professional connections, being a member of a sorority or frat can build long-lasting personal relationships. The friendships created by being part of the brother or sisterhood are a key benefit of joining a house.
For many students, their freshman year of college is the first time they’ve truly been by themselves, away from their family and friends back at home. Having “brothers” and “sisters” on campus provides a built-in support system for personal growth and academic success.
In a poll conducted by Gallup, an American analytics and advisory company, it was found that “Greek-affiliated alumni were more likely to report feeling supported by faculty and mentors during their time in school,” the Newport Institute said.
With some college classes having up to 150 to 300 students in them, having a strong relationship with a professor can be the extra assistance needed to allow students to better understand the content and excel in the class.
When looking beyond the initial stereotypes of Greek life, the professional opportunities and family-like community can not only help to ease the transition from high school to college, but also provide a head start into the career field as well as creating lifelong friendships and relationships for members.
