One of my favorite myths about
Greek life I hear is that we don’t worry about school. I’m assuming this myth suggests
that our energies are focused on other frivolous activities such as partying,
drinking…you know… the stuff you see on TFM/TSM. Why waste our time with
classes and studying when we can party and pay to be in the most elite groups on campus and network to find our dream jobs? HA
For
everyone who understands the real Greek system, the importance of scholarship
is taken incredibly seriously. Though Greek life may aid in providing students
with the opportunities and skills for networking to help in their future career, each and every fraternity and sorority expresses the ideals of
scholastic pursuit and achievement in their creeds, mottos, and membership
obligations. Greek life supports students to get involved on campus and to
maintain high GPA’s while also balancing community involvement and service.
Greek life, in fact, implements systems specifically designed to help each
student work diligently and manage time to instill the skills needed after
college in the workplace. All fraternity men and sorority women push each other because they both must meet a
specific grade point average each semester in order to be in good standing in
membership to attend social events. With these multiple checks and balances,
Greek life is centered on scholarship and academic success.
In addition
to the school requirements for social and membership activities, Greek life
delivers emotional support from a family of students who strive for success in
scholarship and careers just like you. Because all Greeks feel the same pressure to work hard
and maintain high GPA’s, each group empathizes with the difficulties and
struggles and bonds together to help one another thrive. In fact, in my
personal experiences, I have witnessed my sisters and Greek community encourage me in my academic goals and discourage the peer pressures to cave in
and waste time. Since joining Greek life, I have seen my GPA soar and have been
inducted into several honor societies and received many academic achievement
awards, all because I have a huge support system feeding my fire to push harder in my
studies.
Greek life is an
organization with one of the worst reputations, yet it holds the highest ideals
and esteem of any other group I have been apart of. My scholastic success is to
blame because of Greek life, and the opportunities I have experienced because
of my hard work are unbelievable. I, just like many others, am pursuing my career path and working in a
field of study that I love without yet owning my college degree. Greek life is
so valuable and is life changing, and I could not be more grateful for my
decision to go Greek. My only regret is that I stumbled through my first
year without giving Greek life a chance. Sign up for recruitment today!
Written by Abbie Holbert; Edited by UNA Panhellenic
