Many people question the relevancy of Greek life, but it is ultimately relavent to most colleges.
Sororities and fraternities are a long-standing college tradition. Many students, however, may have mixed emotions on their relevancy. The question to be asked, then: Are fraternities and sororities important to colleges?
Being an outsider to Greek life, it’s easy to point fingers and judge and disagree with what takes place inside Greek organizations.
We automatically assume all Greek organizations take part in unsupervised “extracurricular activities.” Heavy stereotypes are given to Greek organizations, from wild partiers and binge drinkers to promiscuous and misogynistic members. Outsiders place emphasis on what we see in movies or in some media outlets, but when it all comes down to what they stand for and their traditions, Greek life upholds morals that aid colleges and their growth.
One of the biggest Panhellenic traditions is philanthropy; Greek organizations were founded on charity and giving back to their communities.
Every sorority and fraternity at APSU promotes its philanthropy to the highest extent. There are always flyers and ads promoting specific fundraisers around campus.
The great thing about Greek organization philanthropy is that everyone can get involved. You don’t have to be a part of the sorority or fraternity to participate in giving back to the community. By donating or supporting the cause, faculty, staff and students can help.
Not only do sororities and fraternities support philanthropy, but they also celebrate school spirit.
Many supporters of sports and different events on campus are students involved with Greek life.
Being in an organization where people share the same values allows the coming together and socialization that is required for good school spirit.
The majority of tailgaters before football games are Greek organizations. When tailgaters come together, to support an APSU team, school spirit is born. Without Greek life on small campuses like APSU, most of our games would be fan-less.
Another great reason for sororities and fraternities is the acceptance of outsiders.
Students who come to APSU from all over the world need to find their niche. With Greek life, it’s easy for people from outside of Clarksville to be accepted in our community and college.
Men and women looking for long-term friendships can find them in Greek life. Not only will these people make life-long friends, but they will also create bonds and memories with people they might not have been friends with otherwise.
Students may have a hard time balancing school, work and social lives, so being in a Greek organization that sets up specific study schedules, and GPA requirements helps some to excel in school.
Even if some bash Greek life and disagree with the principles, there is more to the community than many try and get to know.
If you despise Greek life and think it’s just a way to pay for friends or a wild party full of debauchery, maybe a second thought is in order.
The benefits to Greek life outweigh the disadvantages greatly. Everyone wants to belong to something, and for some people, Greek life is the way to go.
