The REAL Secret Behind Greek Life
Think Greeks are all about parties and paying for friends?? Have the idea that all sorority women are easy and fraternity men are stupid? Imagine goats being sacrificed when you think of ritual? Call Greeks followers and conformists?? If so, you may want to rethink everything because in reality you're the one following the stereotypes of Greek Life given by the media and gossip.
The REAL secret behind Greek Life is simple but first lets look at some facts!
*Nationally, 71% of all Greeks graduate, while only 50% of non-Greeks graduate.
*The All Greek GPA is higher than the overall collegiate GPA.
*Since 1910, 85% of the Supreme Court Justices have been Greek.
*85% of the Fortune 500 key executives are Greek.
*Of the nation's 50 largest corporations, 43 are headed by Greeks.
*76% of Who's Who in America are Greek.
*All but two Presidents since 1825 have been Greek.
*70% of the U.S. Presidents' cabinet members since 1900 have been Greek.
*76% of U.S. Senators are Greek.
*Both women appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court were sorority members.
*Over 85% of the student leaders on 730 campuses are members of Greek-letter organizations.
*Less then 2% of an average college students expenses go towards Greek membership dues.
*A study by the University of Missouri found that Greeks throughout the US and Canada are more involved on their campuses and rate their overall university experience better.
*The same study found that Greeks are more involved in their communities; and give more generously to their alma maters.
*Greeks form the largest network of volunteers in the U.S.-Nationally, Greeks volunteer approximately 10 million hours of community service annually.
*Greek Life strongly encourages within its community to uphold the ideals that they were founded on: sisterhood and brotherhood, scholarship, leadership, philanthropy, and becoming better citizens of society.
*Hazing is against National Greek Headquarters policies.
*Nationally, Greek organizations are the largest and most visible value-based student organizations.
Now that you have read some facts concerning Greek Life, here are *some* familiar names who are Greek who might help you see how Greek Life helps people succeed!
Martin Luther King Jr, Adam Sandler, Admiral James J. Carey, Al Michaels, Ali Landry, Alice Sheets Marriot, Allen Bean, Alonzo Mourning, Amy Grant, Andy Griffith, Andy Rooney, Ann Margaret, Aretha Franklin, Ashley Judd, Aston Kutcher, Ben Savage, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Bob Barker, Bobby Jones, Brad Pitt, Burt Reynolds, Cedric the Entertainer, Colonel Sanders, Coretta Scott King, Cybil Shepard, Danny Thomas, Dave Thomas, David Duchovny, David Letterman, David Spade, David Stern, Dick Clark, Dionne Warwick, Dr. Alyce Gullantee, Dr. Collette Kohler, Dr. Seuss, Drew Carey, Dwight Eisenhower, Elvis Presley, Faye Dunaway, Fred Savage, Gladys Knight, Goldie Hawn, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Garner, John Wayne, Johnny Carson, Kate Spade, Katie Couric, Kurt Vonnegut, Lucy Lui, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Jordan, Molly Sims, Neil Armstrong, Nick Lachey, Roger Ebert, Rosa Parks, Shaquille O'Neal, Sheryl Crow, Stephen Spielberg, Will Ferrel, Woody Harrelson, just to name a few...
Quotes Regarding Greek Life:
*Letters today, Leaders tomorrow
*No matter the Letters, we're all Greek together
*Not four years, but for life
*Fraternities and Sororities symbolize all that we wish to accomplish in our lives. They represent the struggles we all face as we grow. Why we cling to them no one can explain, but in the end, we are all stronger for it
*People ask why I am in a sorority and I try to explain all the things a sorority is that they cannot see. A sorority is more than letters on a sweatshirt, I say. More than traditional songs, a gold pin, rituals, and obligation, or a way of life. A sorority is learning about people, a sorority is giving without expecting a return. A sorority is earning respect from others, as well as for yourself. A sorority will not solve all your problems. But I have made good friends and found confidence there to help me take life one step at a time.
*Even though the dues I pay for are like any other club fees (though more expensive because my organization is much more than a club) go toward housing, if I WERE paying for my friends, I wouldn't be paying enough!!!
So now that you have seen a glimpse of what Greek Life is all about, I hope that you will gain a better understanding about Greeks and not give in to believing the stereotypes. True, there are definitely some members who don't quite get what we're about yet and yes they need to learn but STOP THE JUDGING on all of us. Get to know an indivudual before you make an assumption based on their personal choice. After all, the REAL secret behind Greek Life isn't that we hold some magical powers in our rituals or that we only get to high places through networking. We are regular people wanting to do great things and we accomplish all of this with the skills we acquire through our time spent in our Greek organizations!
Most importantly...we all stand together in both good and bad times. The Greek system is a huge support unit to say the least. My school, The University of Memphis, was recently hit by tragedy and we lost two of our Greek members. The amount of support shown within our family can't be described in words. There is a difference between friendships and brother/sisterhood. I'm not saying one isn't more valuable than the other but the bonds of sisterhood and brotherhood are bonds that can never be touched.
FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, YOU CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND IT. FROM THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT, YOU CAN NEVER EXPLAIN IT!
Now for my thoughts:
I knew that I wanted to pledge somewhere in college. That is why I took the time out to research these national and international organizations on my campus. I did rush events as a freshman and I visited all nine fraternity houses to get a feel for if I wanted to live there. Some of the houses were nice and the members were welcoming while others were more remote and selective in having random men viewing their houses. Nonetheless, I found a home in Phi Delta Theta. I had my reservations about certain things when I was pledging in the spring. One of those reservations was about "How will I balance the pledge process with the overwhelming amount of classes and other responsibilities I had on my plate. Unlike the rest of my pledge class, my responsibilities did not end after basketball season or the end of a theatre production. I needed some time to develop so I could be devoted to the pledge process. Another one of my reservations was that even if I did cross in the spring, will I be able to help out enough for the class next in line? With my responsibilities in other organizations going for another academic year, would I be able to commit to all of the activities I have to help out with for rush events and pledging. I didn't want the other guys to think that the other organizations I am a part of would render me useless to the next set of guys coming in. All of these thoughts rushed into my head and gave me doubts in the middle of pledging.
Realizing all of this, I took the spring days one day at a time and eventually, I crossed into my first year of being a Greek. The first semester was not bad for me; it is the second semester I am worried about. The one thing I did have to worry about was trying to make people understand that going Greek is not supposed to take your manhood away or to give people a picture of movies such as "Animal House." I found myself educating freshmen and unaffiliated persons about the advantages of Greek life at Ohio Wesleyan and how it can benefit you throughout your time here and outside of Ohio Wesleyan. I have made some believers out of people and others are still skeptical about how the Greek system works. I want to be the person (or one of the people) who rid stereotypes of the Greek system so that the Greek system can become more efficient in recruitment and its presence on the Ohio Wesleyan campus. 35% of the student body is Greek. This is a far cry compared to the percentage of the student body in the 1970's and 1980's. Incoming freshmen are not exposed enough to the positives. Sometimes, the only times that many people on campus are exposed to Greek life is during parties advertised on Facebook or as ads on campus. Most of these parties have alcohol in them and many students just want to have fun without the alcohol or rude people, i.e. from my experience.
I feel that it doesn't matter if you are international or domestic, Greek life should be presented on equal terms. I represented Greek life as soon as I started my Orientation leader schedule in August; this was my first introduction to the new student body of 2011. Whether I was aware of being the representative, I knew of one thing, I AM OWU. Let's face it, Greek Life is OWU. There are many teachers and administrators on campus that are Greek and are proud of their experiences as Greek men and women. They would not take it back and either would I. Despite the differences that some of the fraternities have with each other, I am not going to discriminate against another fraternity just because of their history or the people who have pledged there. Just like Facebook stated, we are all Greek so whether people at OWU like it or not, we all share a common bond in joining that we all hold dearly to our hearts forever. In conclusion, I am doing all that I can to invite people who have little or no clue about fraternity as well as people who are interesting in joining a fraternity like Phi Delta Theta AND even people who are already in another fraternity on campus to events and on regular days to chill, study, or whatever they want. For me, this is the best and the only way to create awareness of a fraternity on campus.
If anyone wants to comment about their experience in Greek Life or about my blog about Greek Life whether it is my feelings or the Facebook feelings, feel free. I am welcoming any and all comments and constructive criticism.
Greek Life Forever,
Hasani Wheat
Phi Delta Theta
Class of '10
The REAL secret behind Greek Life is simple but first lets look at some facts!
*Nationally, 71% of all Greeks graduate, while only 50% of non-Greeks graduate.
*The All Greek GPA is higher than the overall collegiate GPA.
*Since 1910, 85% of the Supreme Court Justices have been Greek.
*85% of the Fortune 500 key executives are Greek.
*Of the nation's 50 largest corporations, 43 are headed by Greeks.
*76% of Who's Who in America are Greek.
*All but two Presidents since 1825 have been Greek.
*70% of the U.S. Presidents' cabinet members since 1900 have been Greek.
*76% of U.S. Senators are Greek.
*Both women appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court were sorority members.
*Over 85% of the student leaders on 730 campuses are members of Greek-letter organizations.
*Less then 2% of an average college students expenses go towards Greek membership dues.
*A study by the University of Missouri found that Greeks throughout the US and Canada are more involved on their campuses and rate their overall university experience better.
*The same study found that Greeks are more involved in their communities; and give more generously to their alma maters.
*Greeks form the largest network of volunteers in the U.S.-Nationally, Greeks volunteer approximately 10 million hours of community service annually.
*Greek Life strongly encourages within its community to uphold the ideals that they were founded on: sisterhood and brotherhood, scholarship, leadership, philanthropy, and becoming better citizens of society.
*Hazing is against National Greek Headquarters policies.
*Nationally, Greek organizations are the largest and most visible value-based student organizations.
Now that you have read some facts concerning Greek Life, here are *some* familiar names who are Greek who might help you see how Greek Life helps people succeed!
Martin Luther King Jr, Adam Sandler, Admiral James J. Carey, Al Michaels, Ali Landry, Alice Sheets Marriot, Allen Bean, Alonzo Mourning, Amy Grant, Andy Griffith, Andy Rooney, Ann Margaret, Aretha Franklin, Ashley Judd, Aston Kutcher, Ben Savage, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Bob Barker, Bobby Jones, Brad Pitt, Burt Reynolds, Cedric the Entertainer, Colonel Sanders, Coretta Scott King, Cybil Shepard, Danny Thomas, Dave Thomas, David Duchovny, David Letterman, David Spade, David Stern, Dick Clark, Dionne Warwick, Dr. Alyce Gullantee, Dr. Collette Kohler, Dr. Seuss, Drew Carey, Dwight Eisenhower, Elvis Presley, Faye Dunaway, Fred Savage, Gladys Knight, Goldie Hawn, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Garner, John Wayne, Johnny Carson, Kate Spade, Katie Couric, Kurt Vonnegut, Lucy Lui, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Jordan, Molly Sims, Neil Armstrong, Nick Lachey, Roger Ebert, Rosa Parks, Shaquille O'Neal, Sheryl Crow, Stephen Spielberg, Will Ferrel, Woody Harrelson, just to name a few...
Quotes Regarding Greek Life:
*Letters today, Leaders tomorrow
*No matter the Letters, we're all Greek together
*Not four years, but for life
*Fraternities and Sororities symbolize all that we wish to accomplish in our lives. They represent the struggles we all face as we grow. Why we cling to them no one can explain, but in the end, we are all stronger for it
*People ask why I am in a sorority and I try to explain all the things a sorority is that they cannot see. A sorority is more than letters on a sweatshirt, I say. More than traditional songs, a gold pin, rituals, and obligation, or a way of life. A sorority is learning about people, a sorority is giving without expecting a return. A sorority is earning respect from others, as well as for yourself. A sorority will not solve all your problems. But I have made good friends and found confidence there to help me take life one step at a time.
*Even though the dues I pay for are like any other club fees (though more expensive because my organization is much more than a club) go toward housing, if I WERE paying for my friends, I wouldn't be paying enough!!!
So now that you have seen a glimpse of what Greek Life is all about, I hope that you will gain a better understanding about Greeks and not give in to believing the stereotypes. True, there are definitely some members who don't quite get what we're about yet and yes they need to learn but STOP THE JUDGING on all of us. Get to know an indivudual before you make an assumption based on their personal choice. After all, the REAL secret behind Greek Life isn't that we hold some magical powers in our rituals or that we only get to high places through networking. We are regular people wanting to do great things and we accomplish all of this with the skills we acquire through our time spent in our Greek organizations!
Most importantly...we all stand together in both good and bad times. The Greek system is a huge support unit to say the least. My school, The University of Memphis, was recently hit by tragedy and we lost two of our Greek members. The amount of support shown within our family can't be described in words. There is a difference between friendships and brother/sisterhood. I'm not saying one isn't more valuable than the other but the bonds of sisterhood and brotherhood are bonds that can never be touched.
FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, YOU CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND IT. FROM THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT, YOU CAN NEVER EXPLAIN IT!
Now for my thoughts:
I knew that I wanted to pledge somewhere in college. That is why I took the time out to research these national and international organizations on my campus. I did rush events as a freshman and I visited all nine fraternity houses to get a feel for if I wanted to live there. Some of the houses were nice and the members were welcoming while others were more remote and selective in having random men viewing their houses. Nonetheless, I found a home in Phi Delta Theta. I had my reservations about certain things when I was pledging in the spring. One of those reservations was about "How will I balance the pledge process with the overwhelming amount of classes and other responsibilities I had on my plate. Unlike the rest of my pledge class, my responsibilities did not end after basketball season or the end of a theatre production. I needed some time to develop so I could be devoted to the pledge process. Another one of my reservations was that even if I did cross in the spring, will I be able to help out enough for the class next in line? With my responsibilities in other organizations going for another academic year, would I be able to commit to all of the activities I have to help out with for rush events and pledging. I didn't want the other guys to think that the other organizations I am a part of would render me useless to the next set of guys coming in. All of these thoughts rushed into my head and gave me doubts in the middle of pledging.
Realizing all of this, I took the spring days one day at a time and eventually, I crossed into my first year of being a Greek. The first semester was not bad for me; it is the second semester I am worried about. The one thing I did have to worry about was trying to make people understand that going Greek is not supposed to take your manhood away or to give people a picture of movies such as "Animal House." I found myself educating freshmen and unaffiliated persons about the advantages of Greek life at Ohio Wesleyan and how it can benefit you throughout your time here and outside of Ohio Wesleyan. I have made some believers out of people and others are still skeptical about how the Greek system works. I want to be the person (or one of the people) who rid stereotypes of the Greek system so that the Greek system can become more efficient in recruitment and its presence on the Ohio Wesleyan campus. 35% of the student body is Greek. This is a far cry compared to the percentage of the student body in the 1970's and 1980's. Incoming freshmen are not exposed enough to the positives. Sometimes, the only times that many people on campus are exposed to Greek life is during parties advertised on Facebook or as ads on campus. Most of these parties have alcohol in them and many students just want to have fun without the alcohol or rude people, i.e. from my experience.
I feel that it doesn't matter if you are international or domestic, Greek life should be presented on equal terms. I represented Greek life as soon as I started my Orientation leader schedule in August; this was my first introduction to the new student body of 2011. Whether I was aware of being the representative, I knew of one thing, I AM OWU. Let's face it, Greek Life is OWU. There are many teachers and administrators on campus that are Greek and are proud of their experiences as Greek men and women. They would not take it back and either would I. Despite the differences that some of the fraternities have with each other, I am not going to discriminate against another fraternity just because of their history or the people who have pledged there. Just like Facebook stated, we are all Greek so whether people at OWU like it or not, we all share a common bond in joining that we all hold dearly to our hearts forever. In conclusion, I am doing all that I can to invite people who have little or no clue about fraternity as well as people who are interesting in joining a fraternity like Phi Delta Theta AND even people who are already in another fraternity on campus to events and on regular days to chill, study, or whatever they want. For me, this is the best and the only way to create awareness of a fraternity on campus.
If anyone wants to comment about their experience in Greek Life or about my blog about Greek Life whether it is my feelings or the Facebook feelings, feel free. I am welcoming any and all comments and constructive criticism.
Greek Life Forever,
Hasani Wheat
Phi Delta Theta
Class of '10
