Fraternities

[Engine]

>>This is at the University of Miami (the real one in florida).

Hey, now.. I went to the 'other' one, and dagnabbit.... we were here first! So there

 

[BigSmooth]

vi_edit: My college had 1600 undergrads, also a small school. Only 5 fraternities, largest house had maybe 50-60 members. So you were in a fraternity, then? Because you do say "personal experience".

I don't know what is wrong with the houses at your school, but we got a lot more than just parties and barbecues for our money. We sponsored a campus softball tournament, had retreats to the beach and other places, bought a big-screen TV, stereo equipment, and computers for a study room, had alumni events like golfing and dinners at *very* nice restaurants, had bowling/movie/Monday Night Football nights, paid for t-shirts for everyone, had non-party social functions with sororities...

I'm telling you, we spent our money wisely and we all benefited.

Also, what is the "jacket" thing? We had letter sweatshirts, but not everyone had them. You didn't "have" to have one and people didn't even wear them that often. I wore rush and party t-shirts a lot, I suppose, but only because they were usually sitting on the top of the dirty laundry pile. :Q

 

[vi edit]

No I wasn't in a frat, and we didn't have campus houses. I was however the chairman of another organization on campus that provided as much, if not more activities than your frat offered. Hell, I was more or less paid to head the organization.

I ran the spirit club the first two years I was at my college.

The personal experience comes into play because we had to coordinate activies w/ the greek leaders. I also had several friends in various frats/sororities.

At my school, as well as the other schools around me, you could do as many things, if not more than the greeks from other clubs/organizations without having to pay a monthly due.

 

[BigSmooth]

vi_edit: I am sure what you are saying is true. I am the first to say that the Greek systems on many campuses are probably populated by lazy, drunken heathens. But you have to realize that the opposite is also true.

Like I said, I don't think our house was typical. In fact, we won enough awards while I was there for me to say that it wasn't. I just have to defend against generalizations like the one you made about "paying for friendship". I do speak from personal experience, and that's simply not how it was in my house. Friendship was why we were there. Having to pay dues was a necessary evil made palatable only by the fact that you knew the money was being used wisely.

Also, it's not like I listed EVERYthing the money was used for. It was used for a lot more than that. And the people in my house were truly campus leaders. Virtually everyone was involved in other clubs, organizations, or athletics. While I was there, we had two Student Body presidents, cofounders of the Snowboarding Club, president of the Spanish Club, tons of people on the Rugby club, a couple of football players, a tennis player, track guys, swimmers, a bunch of RAs, a campus tour guide, editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, yearbook people, a person in the fencing club, people who graduated summa cum laude, freshman orientation specialists, honor society members up the wazoo...

 

[BigSmooth]

vi_edit: One other thing: my school had a delayed rush, meaning you couldn't join a fraternity until your 2nd semester. IMO, a lot better system to allow people to make an informed decision and either not join a fraternity or join the house that is right for them.

 

[Pod]

Delayed rush..sounds like a good idea . As I was graduating the penal facility (high school) I heard all these dipshits going 'first thing, I gotta pledge a frat'...



<< So, for $420 a year, you get to drink and eat burgers with a bunch of guys who have the same jacket as you. So, for $420 a year, you get to drink and eat burgers with a bunch of guys who have the same jacket as you. >>



That about sums up our frats here. You substitute jackets for tshirts and shorts, and there ya go...

In my case too that money is spent better elsewhere (car insurance, my own drinks...they don't give me free drinks yet!) then on frat dues.

I'm surprised that no one's said anything about sowhoreities yet? Some of the sh&igrave;t those girls do is damn scary. Wonder if they're offended that they're the basis for many a bad porn flick?

 

[403Forbidden]

No real social frats at my school even though we are a very large nationally recognized school
(you should have enough clues to figure out which school that is)

It just seems to me that frats don't do anything so special that any other
person can do on their own (or /w friends) minues the extra cost and
loss of individuality.

 

[Mday]

something about living in a house full of guys that makes me think they're all &quot;happy&quot;

 

[qacwac]

I'm no drinker nor partier. And I'm not rich. I think there are few things that would fit me less than being in a fraterity.

 

[403Forbidden]

seems like frat boys are just falling all overthemselves to get the latest Abercrombie &amp; Fitch &quot;gear&quot;...pathetic

 

[AvesPKS]

As I've said before (though maybe not here), I go to a small technical college with a greek system containing 3 sororities and seven fraternities. Totalled up, there are maybe a total of 3 to 4 fraternity parties a semester. Because no one here can afford not to study 24/7. Oh, and like I said, my fraternity is dry, so there is no drinking. We party...just not too hard. We raise money for our national charity, and we do community service projects. We go on events together, and since we have such a strong alumni base, the actives do not have to maintain the upkeep of the house (though we do own it). All in all, we have a great time, and I believe my college experience has been enriched by joining a fraternity.