Greek System Culture Code

We have all seen Animal House, watched frat boys drunkenly stumble down the streets, and we may have all been to a party in one of the fraternity houses on our college campus. Fraternities are full of drunk, womanizing, muscle heads right? I mean, the only reason any of them actually come to school is to scrape by with passing grades, get a degree, and rage every night of the week. Well I’m here to tell you that you are wrong, sort of. I would by lying to you if I told you that all of these stereotypes are completely false and that fraternities are full of scholarly gentlemen that partake in the occasional beer on the weekend. Fraternities and sororities tend to be associated with negative connotations because of the select few that act the way I mentioned above. There will always be irresponsible people who do stupid things. The only difference between the typical student and someone in Greek life is that when the average Joe gets in trouble for a house party, they are not associated with anyone and the blame falls solely on them. However, when someone in a fraternity gets too reckless and does something stupid, the entire fraternity is at fault, and sometimes it is even the entire Greek system that suffers. Although the system is unfair, that’s life. We as a Greek community must continue to deal with negative connotations and continue to show the world the other side of the picture. Through good or bad, we are a community; we share a common bond and goal with one another. This is why I believe the culture code for the Greek system is: CAMARADERIE.

Defined simply; camaraderie is a mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together. Camaraderie is seen at all levels of the Greek system; from pledge classes to the Greek system as a whole. Everything we do is defined by this word. Every philanthropy, intramural game, and social gathering we are one.

The beginning of this mutual trust and friendship comes through the pledge process. You are thrown into a house with anywhere from 4 to 40 other guys that are in the same position as you. You are all pledges. You spend most of your time with these men and they become your closet friends throughout college. The experiences you share together allow you to trust in each other at all times, to be able to rely on one other at a moment’s notice. If the pledge process did not exist, there would be almost no trust and camaraderie. Every fraternity is different. Some fraternities haze pledges to an extent that would have the entire fraternity kicked off campus if they were caught. Other fraternities and sororities have a pledge process that is full of challenges that every pledge must complete in order to become part of the brotherhood or sisterhood. Either way, the process is designed to create that camaraderie from the beginning so going forward you have that mindset instilled into your brain.

Once initiated into the brotherhood or sisterhood you now become part of something much bigger than yourself. Selfishness with only hurt you and those around you. Like being part of any organization, your actions reflect on the letters you wear around campus. The responsibility becomes greater and the trust between your friends is multiplied as well. 

One person can become great, but when people work together is when truly great things are accomplished. More than 20 different Greek organizations rose over $100,000 for THON last year. The Greek system is the number one contributor to the philanthropy and were also the ones that started the event in the first place. If it were not for the group effort of these organizations would we see such growth in contributions over the years? Greeks also see the event as a competition and work harder as a team to be the best of the best. This added competition makes the event even more significant to these organizations. They want to be the best they can be in every aspect of life.

While the Greek system has its flaws and negative aspects, the teamwork that comes from these organizations is more powerful than anything one person can do. It is this camaraderie that makes the Greek system what it is.