Is greek life incongruent on with many of the values we set for ourselves? Is the atomic weight of cobalt 58.9?
The answer is yes. Greek life is extremely incongruent. From our TGs, Date Parties, and recruitment we are incongruent, but why?
I personally believe why they exist is because of American Culture. We grow up watching MTV spring break in 5th grade thinking that's what you do when you get to that age. It is reinforced all the way up through high school and once you get to college you see it for your own eyes.
School and life are popularity contests. High school is the most dramatic, but when you get to a college like Ohio State you have to find your own fit. For many people who grew up idealizing the media and TV portrayal of college students they think that joining a "frat" is the cool thing to do. By joining a "frat" they get to continue what their expectation of it coming in for the next four years.
Am I making a sweeping generalization? Yes. But I feel there is some truth to what I am saying.
How many of us have been apart of a recruitment committee and you find a promising guy and he says "I am not a Frat guy" "I know a fraternity is not for me." Why does he say that? Because of what he has seen on tv and what he has heard about other fraternities from friends.
Now are the people who are willing to join a fraternity and don't make those excuses more accepting of the stereotypical things that happen in a fraternity? Most likely yes.
The point that I am trying to make is that if people are ok with it coming in, they are going to accept and enable the behavior as members. Those members become apart of the leadership team and the negative traditions are carried on. The people who classify themselves as "not frat material" are the people we need in our organizations to make a positive change.
I am not saying that only those types of people can make changes. It ultimately starts with the current leaders within the group. Change doesn't happen over night. SigEp used to be the "fratiest" fraternity on campus until we got kicked off. It wasn't until our re-chartering that we got our act together and decided to stand for something better than just partying. Do we still have flaws? Yes! But I think we successfully don't resemble the stereotypical "frat" on tv like we used to.
As a guy who said "I am not Frat material" I am happy with my choice to join SigEp and be apart of the greek community. Once I joined I realized that I wasn't "frat" material, I was Fraternity Material.
And now the defensive line for the University of Michigan
First of all, I LOVED that video. I could not stop laughing. But on a more serious note. I really enjoyed reading your blog. It was very honest and true. I think you are right about the stereotypes and how we grow up thinking a certain way. I am glad you were able to think past that as we are not able to change the media. We can only change ourselves. And it sounds like that is what SigEp did. great blog :)
ReplyDeletegreat video. it made me laugh. i kind of want OSU to do that and see what happens haha.
ReplyDeleteAlso, from what I know of you, you are a fraternity man, and you represent the Greek community well :)