College and University Blog
Greek Life on Campus: Fraternities and Sororities
You will have many opportunities to get involved on campus. The Greek system may be something that interests you. Most colleges and universities have fraternities and sororities. You may have noticed them or at least the Greek letters of their name. Sororities are for women; fraternities are for men.
Whether or not to join a fraternity or sorority rests on individual preferences. Despite its popularity on many campuses, the Greek system eludes a single description that everyone agrees on. Those who belong to fraternities and sororities seem to enjoy their social, academic, and personal benefits. Those who aren’t members may appear indifferent to the Greeks, or they may dislike the system’s selective nature and perceived excesses.
Most fraternities and sororities are national or international organizations with chapters at individual schools. The organization or “Nationals” may place requirements on local chapters to standardize rituals and policies regarding membership, housing, or behavior. . Some fraternities and sororities are “local” and do not belong to a national organization. Classification can also be made along religious lines, geographic extent, gender requirements (single-sex or co-ed), and cultural or multicultural emphasis.
Most fraternities and sororities today maintain traditions which are symbolic in nature and closely guarded, this is called their Ritual. Rituals may include initiation rites, passwords, songs, and handshakes. Meetings for active members are generally confidential and not to be discussed without the approval of the chapter as a whole. Fraternities and sororities often have a number of symbols by which they are identified, such as their Greek letter, motto, colors, or flowers.
Members of social fraternities and sororities sometimes live together in a large house. This helps emphasize the “bonds of brotherhood (or sisterhood)” and provide a meeting place for the members of the organization and alumni. For reasons associated with cost, liability, and stability, housing is usually owned or overseen by an alumni corporation or the national headquarters of the fraternity or sorority. As a result, some houses have visitor restrictions. Some national organizations restrict or prohibit alcohol on the premises.
The process of joining a fraternity or sorority commonly begins with