“Oh, so you are a partier” is a phrase I so commonly am labeled as a fraternity man. But, this one stereotype of many is what makes Greek Life so amazing to me since joining. Because this is not the case that we are just partiers, I am extremely prideful when I am able to offer service to the less fortunate, provide guidance to those in need, and most importantly have purpose in all that I do. Every fraternity has their own significant points they stand for. Just as my university has its standards of service, leadership, and purpose, my fraternity is special here at Pepperdine because we stand for virtue, diligence, and brotherly love. These three values encapsulate that of Pepperdine’s mission regarding Christian values and allow us all the opportunity to get involved on and off of campus. But these values do not just apply to my small, Christian school. Yes, larger schools have parties and stereotypes attached to them that rollover to innocent schools like mine. That said, these problems have been recognized nationally. For example, my fraternity has banned all alcohol and substances from our fraternity houses across the nation. Just as quickly as these stereotypes overshadow the fraternity and Greek life as a whole, we must swiftly dismantle the falsities. My experience has so far consisted of a group of men whom have been shaped individually to assist one another through the hardships college can so often leave you feeling alone about. For example, a relative of mine recently passed away and my Greek family made me feel like I lost one but gained sixty more people who cared for me. This is just one of numerous examples that consisted of the brotherly love that I would not have had if I didn’t affiliate. Outside of the fraternity, I have had the opportunity to get involved in numerous service projects I would not otherwise have heard about if I was not in SigEp. Another stereotype we are so commonly labeled as is poor performers in school. To combat this statement, my personal GPA has risen this semester compared to last. As brothers, the elder actives are here to help and push us to do our best. There is now always a resource to me within the fraternity to ask for help because of their past experience in a specific class or with a certain professor. According to former Greek life member and now columnist Peter Jacobs, “Greeks have higher GPAs at many schools and are more likely to graduate.” Based off of this statement I am affirmative to believe that this strong social connection and involvement on and off of campus furthermore leads students to feel more connected to their university academically as a second-hand consequence. This correlation between academics and social life holds the truth that fraternities and sororities allow a platform for better grades to be self evident. Now that some of the most common stereotypes have been outweighed by the truth, all men and women should join Greek life! Works Cited Jacobs, Peter. "I Still Think Joining a Fraternity Was one of the Best Decisions I've Ever Made." Business Insider, Jan. 28, 2015, http://www.businessinsider.com/greek-life-benefits-2014-12. Accessed 9 March 2018. "Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity Announces Ban on Alcohol." SigEp Journal, Nov. 8 2017, https://sigep.org/sigepjournal/sigma-phi-epsilon-fraternity-announces-ban-on-alcohol/. Accessed 11 March 2018. Image Via https://www.bestcollegereviews.org/greek-life/
4 Comments
Hey Justin!
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4/18/2018 08:16:06 am
Hi Erin!
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4/18/2018 01:22:57 pm
Justin,
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4/18/2018 01:36:00 pm
Hi Laney!
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Biography
Being a Freshman at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, I bring a unique experience to Greek life because I joined the fraternity spring semester. This experience allows me to give perspectives being affiliated and being an independent taking on college. |