We mentioned that you should consider factors such as being introverted or if you have the time.  Today’s blog will discuss a little talked about influence in the decision to become greek: the influence of others.

There are several circumstances where peer pressure or other leverage in our life could wind up swaying our decision to join a fraternity or sorority.  You could be seeking the approval of your peers and attempting to find acceptance by joining “the cool kids.”  You could be following the flock of students who dive right into the rush process as a novelty those first few weeks of school.   Clearly, these should not be your motivation to join a greek letter organization, or any other organization for that matter.

There could also be parental influences from parents.  Pushing you either extreme.  Some may exert a lot of pressure and try to get you to join the organizations they themselves pledged when in college.  Others might not understand the Greek system, or be frightened of the idea by what they have seen in television and movies.  They in turn, want to deter their children from joining any organization all together.  Letter carry a lot of weight, and being a legacy (joining the organization your family members have joined) is a beautiful tradition that has been around for ages, but if you don’t feel you’re a perfect fit for either the organization, or the chapter at your university, then, that organization isn’t the one for you.  Most people fear what they don’t know, so it is only natural that parent who are unfamiliar with Greek Life, because they just don’t know it, or are basing their decisions on the media, aren’t the most fair barometer of wether or not Greek life’s for you.  You have to do your own research and make the decision that’s going to be the best for you.

There are myriad of reasons that could make you arrive at choosing to not become greek.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Perhaps you’re introverted.  Perhaps you just don’t have the time.  Perhaps the pressures of others have left a sour taste in your mouth.  Maybe, you just have no interest in it all.  At the end of the day, the important thing is that whatever decision you make is what’s best for you.

There are how ever, two sides to every coin.  Stay tuned next week for our series on why you should join a sorority or frat!

There is a lot to think about before making such a life-long commitment.  We talked about being introverted as a factor that you should consider. Today we’ll discuss how being short on time could present a problem in enjoying Greek Life.  While it is an amazing addition to the college experience, Greek life is not a road that is paved for everyone.  Like everything there are a lot of pros and cons, and you have to see which of these end up carrying a heavier weight for you specifically.

Greek life might not be for you if you find yourself short on time.  Being an active member of an organization requires being skilled in the art of time management.  But if you have other pressing commitments, there just might not be enough time in your day to be able to be an active member of a sorority or fraternity.  You are at a University to receive an education, so your academics endeavors must always take first place.  You might have requirements to volunteer or work to receive and maintain scholarships.  You might find yourself needing a job to supplement your finances and cover the cost of attending college.  There might be other organizations that you are a member of that demand your time.  There could be thousands of other reasons and things that require your attention and time.

While we’re not suggesting that being busy is a deal breaker for joining a greek organization, figuring out if you have the time is pivotal in your decision making.  As a matter of fact, Greeks tend to by nature be some of the busiest and more involved students on campus.  However, if your other commitments simply don’t allow you the time to attend chapter meetings, community service events, fundraisers, socials and mixers, you are doing a disservice to your organization.  On a personal level, you get out of Greek life what you put in it.  So if you’re not putting in the work and time, it really isn’t worth it for you.

Stay tuned for the next blog about why should not join a greek letter organization.

Joining a greek organization is decision that should not be made in haste, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.  So this week we will be tackling some of the reasons why you should NOT join greek lettered organization. We have all seen the movies, and the portrayals by the media of what Greek life is all about.  Movies like Animal House or Legally Blonde offer exaggerated caricatures of what greek life is really all about.  Your decision to either join a sorority or fraternity or forgo it all together should not be based on these depictions.

You should forgo the decision of going greek if you are reclusive or timid by nature.  While greek life could offer a great opportunity to battle your apprehensions an bring you out of your shell, it might be a bit of an overload.  There will the inherent expectation to partake in a lot of social events with your brothers or sisters, as well is with many others who you’ll be meeting for the first time because of your membership in

your organization.  Social interaction is a humongous part of greek life, and could present a problem for you if you’re introverted by nature.

Stay tuned for the upcoming blogs in the series as you work through decision process.