>> Andrew Franklin, Guest Writer

Many see Greek life at APSU as a waste of time and a waste of money. Then there are the few Greeks on campus that believe it is the greatest thing ever, and everyone should rush. Let me just start off by saying Greek life is a great experience, and you meet some amazing people who could eventually become some of your life long friends. But it is also not for everyone.

There are meetings, requirements, volunteer work, and academic duties that are put upon you and that might not be your thing. As we all know and hear on social media sites as in Facebook, Twitter, and now the social media hub for colleges now is Yik Yak, that there are a lot of different stereotypes we associate with each fraternity and sorority. I am here to give examples of some of these stereotypes and to clear them up for the average APSU student.

Fraternities: This meme sums up what society believes a fraternity revolves around.

If you know anything about APSU and its party life, you know this not true. Yes Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sigep), and Sigma Chi all had their parties this past weekend, but other than that APSU Greek Life is not know for its parties. It is known for their academic excellence, and raising money for philanthropy. But we all Greek organizations are known for something.

Alpha Gamma Rho- Known for being an Agricultural based fraternity. They are the best cooks out of any other fraternity as they hold their annual BBQ bash. They also raise money to honor the memory of Tyler J. Head who was killed February 3, 2012. They also have a house on campus along with a new volleyball sand court. The house is quite old, but the brothers of AGR don’t seem to mind!

Alpha Tau Omega- Known for “usually” being the best in intramurals. They have a ton of members compared to other fraternities on campus. They hold their annual philanthropy fundraiser, Jump for Jude in the Red Barn. They raised around $24,000 for St. Jude’s Children Hospital. ATO has their Toga party that usually draws a pretty good crowd, along with their pre-game tailgates, and even pre-intramural game get togethers outside their townhouse at Greek Village.

Kappa Alpha Order- Known for holding their annual Gentlemen’s Week that usually raises around $7,000 dollars for their philanthropy: The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). They have had the best GPA of all fraternities for the past year, but also have had the second lowest amount of members.

Phi Gamma Delta- Better known as FIJI. They are not yet colonized on APSU’s campus, but they still do have a presence on campus. They participate and succeed in intramurals and support their philanthropy: Red Cross and USO.

Pi Kappa Alpha- Better known as Pike. They have recently joined back onto APSU’s campus with a big recruitment class this previous semester. They are very good at athletics, and donations toward APSU. They are also well connected with their alumni, as they are big tailgaters for APSU football games.

Sigma Chi- Known for holding their Derby Days that supports their philanthropy: Huntsman Cancer Foundation. They have a smaller amount of brothers compared to some others, but are still big on campus. They are also very competitive at intramurals, and love to have a good time.

Sigma Phi Epsilon- Known for being very scholarly and competitive in intramurals. They also hold their annual Skate for Katelyn every year raising an exponential amount for Katelyn’s family. Sig Ep is very involved on campus with many different brothers in many different positions within APSU. They also have a strong Alumni base here in Clarksville.

Sororities: This is the meme that sums it all up right ladies?

Sororities have no correlation with fraternities as they do a lot more than fraternities on campus. They participate actively in step shows, food drives, and attend football games together. They do anything to get the Greek points and try to be top sorority. I understand, but it seems so exhausting. Well either way, all the sororities have their flaws and strengths!

Alpha Delta Pi- Better known as ADPi is very scholarly and is also very competitive in intramurals. They hold their annual Pi Day to support their sorority and they also volunteer for their philanthropy down in Nashville at the Ronald McDonald house. ADPi is also very active in step shows and attendance at many APSU events.

Alpha Gamma Delta- better known as AGD or the squirrels. They are also very active within the APSU community as they support the Governors at many sporting events. They support their philanthropy: Diabetes Research and Education through the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. They also have a squirrel costume that they use every once in a while that is the bomb dot com.

Alpha Sigma Alpha- Better known as ASA, hold their new philanthropy sensation Balls to the Wall Dodgeball tournament that raises money for Special Olympics, Girls on the Run, S. June Smith Center and the Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation. They ladies of ASA are usually soft spoken, but can always seen around campus.

Alpha Omicron Pi- They are just joining campus this semester, but they support Arthritis research and Juvenile Arthritis. We don’t know much about what they will become, but soon enough!

Chi Omega- They are a women’s fraternity and will never let you forget it. They are the most active on campus as they have a ton of members and show up to everything. They are champions in intramurals and do well academically as well.

Till next time, stay classy APSU!