Anonymous wrote:Pledged:The Secret Life of Sororities by Alexandra Robbins is a good read and investigates what sororities are like and how they impact young woman.

I read the book and found it full of stereotypes that didn't apply at my East Coast, top 30 alma mater. I wouldn't have joined either if that's what it was like.

Anonymous wrote:I haven't commented before, but as a foreign it seems extremely cliquish and unpleasant.

+1
Its totally bizarre.

I have a problem with choosing friends just because they passed a test and now belong to a group. I like to be friends with all kinds of people and have those relationships grow and change naturally.

Anonymous wrote:You're asking a question on a website where most of the women would never even get bids even if they wanted, that look opposite to what your sorority girl looks like and quite frankly have nothing in common with the Greeks. Btw tons of drinking and date rape outside of that as well.

+1000

On this thread we have complaints about excessive drinking and on the American University thread we have complaints about a dry campus. Different strokes for different folks. Who would have thought?

Anonymous wrote:To answer your question OP -- I don't like Greek Life because of the heavy drinking involved and also the misogony.

Perhaps learning the Greek alphabet would have increased your ability to spell words which have a Greek origin.

This whole thread boils down to this:

Those who hate Greek life tend to be those who, for whatever reason, are not in a Greek letter organization.

Those who like it are generally members of a Greek letter organization.

So in a thread like this, all you are going to get is justifications for people's individual decision. IMO, it all boils down to the culture on the campus, Greek culture on that campus and that particular sorority or frat (and that chapter). FYI, I did not pledge in undergrad but I pledged an alum chapter.

Anonymous wrote:... must pay for friends ...

I don't think you understand how the dues system works. Yes, each person in the fraternity pays some amount each semester. (I'm writing about fraternities because I was in one, but I assume the system is the same for sororities.) The amount of money is based on a proposed budget presented by the elected treasurer at an all-members meeting, where the treasurer will describe all the costs the fraternity expects to see in the coming semester: for example, cost of beer for parties, cost of caterer for people choosing to eat at the fraternity house, cost of maintenance and upkeep on the house itself, cost of insurance, cost of a new pool table or new furniture occasionally, etc. If memory serves, the biggest costs were the parties. So when an individual pays dues, he's not "paying for friends" as you cleverly put it, he's paying for his share of the cost of throwing several parties and for a place he can have fun. Quite frankly, the budget process is less "Animal House" and more "Chess Club."

I was pretty broke in college, so I actually calculated the cost of dues + rent at my residential fraternity, and figured out it was less than what I'd have paid for a dorm room at my college. So in my personal case, it was actually cheaper to participate in a fraternity than to live in the dorms ... and I also attended lots of parties and developed a pretty good combo shot on the pool table!

Anonymous wrote:You're asking a question on a website where most of the women would never even get bids even if they wanted, that look opposite to what your sorority girl looks like and quite frankly have nothing in common with the Greeks. Btw tons of drinking and date rape outside of that as well.

As opposed to a loser like you who has to troll on DCUM for attention? Okkaayy....

Anonymous wrote:You're asking a question on a website where most of the women would never even get bids even if they wanted, that look opposite to what your sorority girl looks like and quite frankly have nothing in common with the Greeks. Btw tons of drinking and date rape outside of that as well.

This is just not true. Women who snub sororities are good looking, smart, and have their life together.

You're asking a question on a website where most of the women would never even get bids even if they wanted, that look opposite to what your sorority girl looks like and quite frankly have nothing in common with the Greeks. Btw tons of drinking and date rape outside of that as well.

Hazing still exists just like dog fighting. There will always be people that get off on watching others suffer and engage in stupid things. Greek life has a long tradition of hazing so no thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't commented before, but as a foreign it seems extremely cliquish and unpleasant.

It is...very American.

You go to parties for a week. Then people treat you like shit for a week (called hazing). Then you pay a fee and are "best friends" and brothers and sisters forever.

LOL. This post rocks.

As a foreigner I must assume that these immature people who only party and must pay for friends have no success later in life, correct? In other words, surely no one who is so unenlightened and misguided would ever rise to the top in the world of business or politics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't commented before, but as a foreign it seems extremely cliquish and unpleasant.

It is...very American.

You go to parties for a week. Then people treat you like shit for a week (called hazing). Then you pay a fee and are "best friends" and brothers and sisters forever.

LOL. This post rocks.

Anonymous wrote:I went to a school that had banned fraternities and sororities. I just don't understand the point of these groups. Is it just to be in a group of people who are like you in some way? It seems anathema to the point of going to college.

I am also concerned about the drinking, hazing, and date rape. I can't believe that kids put up with some of the stuff I've read about, especially at places like Dartmouth. I think single gender environments bring out the pack mentality in a lot of kids. They start wanting to please the alpha dog, and then they'll do crazy things.

I went to a school that had no Greek Life to speak of, but it was in hard drinking mid-western town. For better or for worse we had all the drinking and inappropriate behavior people here see to think is the exclusive province of Greek life. To me it's coming of age and the vast majority of kids make it through just fine and look back fondly on those days without trying to pretend that they were mature or responsible. I wouldn't trade my wild irresponsible college days for anything.