Greeks Don't Care About School {MythBusters}

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

You Pay for Your Friends {MythBusters}

As a recruitment counselor, I frequently hear young women using the excuse, “I don’t want to pay for my friends,” as justification for deciding not to go through sorority recruitment. Although this is a valid statement for individuals who are unaware of what a sorority stands for, I am writing this to reassure all you readers that this statement, is in fact, false.

I get it, as soon as you pledge a sorority you are required to pay initiation fees, membership dues, and other various social payments, but just like any other club you find yourself joining on campus there are financial obligations that are involved in making these organizations successful. A sorority is probably a lot bigger than what you have in mind. Each sorority has a national executive office (A.K.A. headquarters).

 Membership dues allow for the chapter to carry out various functions such as…PHILANTHROPY EVENTS! 26 various sororities alone raised over $5,000,000 in philanthropy money (membership dues look pretty small now, right?). One part of being in a sorority is learning to serve others, and in order for us to serve others effectively there must be funds available. That being said, although there are those required dues, many of the charges you might receive are simply voluntary. It is not a requirement, but merely a choice, to buy every t-shirt that is designed or to attend every single date party/formal that is planned.  

We also need to keep in mind that sororities also provide opportunities for its members! Many sororities provide opportunities for those members who demonstrate academic success and thrive in leadership abilities to be rewarded scholarships because they truly enjoy helping you succeed. So along with holding you accountable for your grades and providing leadership opportunities, your chapter also has the potential to contribute to YOU financially.

During my time as being a Gamma Chi recruitment counselor, one thing I constantly remind girls going through recruitment, happens to be my favorite and the most relevant statement I have heard since I have been a sorority member, and that is, “YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN!” (and I’m not talking about the money). Just because you pay your monthly dues does not mean you automatically have friends. How silly would it be for you to assume that when we pay our bills we are suddenly going to have best friends blowing your phone up to hang out? Yes, when you are a member of a sorority you do have tons of sisters, but sisterhood is different than friendship. When you join a specific sisterhood you are only promised to have ONE thing in common with all of the other members…. Your promise to uphold and live out the values of your chapter. It is important to remember that as members of a sorority we are still human beings and work to build those relationships with each other. 

After I’ve said all that, I’ll go on to say, the experiences, life lessons, knowledge, and relationships I’ve acquired during my time in my chapter are PRICELESS and if I’m going to be stereotyped for paying for my friends I certainly have not paid enough.

Written by Guest Writer, Mary Ware; Edited by UNA Panhellenic