Who on BGP are in a fraternity?

[EKUAlum05]

The pig roast and softball tournament was awesome. I was a Sigma Pi at MSU and we attended this event at EKU every year it was always a great time.

 

When did you graduate? I was at Eastern from 2001-2005, I was the Sage during the '04 Pig Roast.

[racer4life]

When did you graduate? I was at Eastern from 2001-2005, I was the Sage during the '03 Pig Roast.

 

I was a little before your time I left MSU in 1995.

[The Sooner Surge]

OK I don't want this to sound sarcastic or condescending, so please don't take that as the message I am attempting to convey.

 

But, I am willing to bet that when you take all your classes this semester into accoutn you probably have a member of nearly every fraternity represented. I'd like to propose you take time to just start up a casual conversation with at least one member of each of those chapters. I also propose you attend at least 3 or 4 of the community service events that are open to the general public.

 

If you honestly come back and say "Just as I thought, they are all arrogant snobs and everyone of them are just alike" then I will never get up on my soap box in this subject again. But, I have a strong feeling this may change your opinions that some of these guys aren't simply party animals, or guys who think your toilets don't stink... heck you might even make a few new friends along the way that previously you would have disqualified because they ahd letters on their chest.

 

As I said, this not intended to come off as me being condescending.

 

 

Thats a very true arguement. I will agree with you that I do indeed have a fraternity member in alot of my classes (some more than others), and yes I have talked to a few of them before about what their program is all about.

 

Now Im not sure if I was talking to The Grand Wizard or a new member on a free trial membership or what have you, but each of them came off in an extreme arrogant way, as if to say Im not better off if I don't join their organization. Arrogance is pet peeve of mine so naturally once I heard them say all this, I immediately tuned them out and closed the book on the subject.

[MCHSindians08]

I'm not buying that cages in the basement stuff. I would advise you to check them out and make the call yourself. I would advise you to check out a couple of others, as well. You'll know which one you feel the most comfortable in. I am an SAE and it is a great fraternity, but ultimately its what feels best for the individual. For me, it was SAE.

 

Yeah, its prob just rumors, I can stand some hazing, but thats a little much, lol. But, yeah sounds good, hopefully it will be an easy choice

[EKUAlum05]

Thats a very true arguement. I will agree with you that I do indeed have a fraternity member in alot of my classes (some more than others), and yes I have talked to a few of them before about what their program is all about.

 

Now Im not sure if I was talking to The Grand Wizard or a new member on a free trial membership or what have you, but each of them came off in an extreme arrogant way, as if to say Im not better off if I don't join their organization. Arrogance is pet peeve of mine so naturally once I heard them say all this, I immediately tuned them out and closed the book on the subject.

 

Next time try just try talking about class, the next UK game, or any other general piece of conversation. Just avoid talking to them "about what their program is about" , this may give a slightly more accurate read.

[eccheer]

Is that what u were? I know that the SAEs at UK have a 13 million dollar fraternity house, but I heard they are the worst for hazing, cages in the basement.....

 

Don't believe EVERYTHING you hear!!!! Sometimes those rumors are spread to keep the weakhearted at home!! lol

[stick1]

Word Wireman:)

Sooner I can honestly say that one of the best things that I got out of fraternity life was becoming close friends with people from so many walks of life. We had a couple of

4ft 11inch guys that produced some of the best memories that I can remember. We had 300+lb guys that were hilarious. We had guys from hollars in Eastern KY that were as genuine as they come. We had white guys, black guys, heck we even had a guy from Greece named Stratus! There were guys that were born into the silver spoon and some that were broke as a joke. There were times that I thought people went overboard with our fraternity and times that I didn't think they respected it enough. There were times that I didn't want to go to this meeting or that meeting and times that I had to get after guys for missing everything. The great thing was that we dealt with a lot of real world issues (money managment, due process, learning to compramise with each other on important issues, having a vision and goals to get there etc). I made a lot of friends outside the fraternity but being in that structure forced me to be around a lot of people that I probably wouldn't have hung around and I think it taught me a lot about understanding how to walk in other people's shoes a lot more. It also opened my eyes to a lot of things I wouldn't have seen had I not joined just because of the backgrounds a lot of my friends came from. There were punks in our fraternity just like there are punks that aren't greek. I can honestly say that while I was in school the majority of the leaders on campus that made things happen for the students were Greek. It's easy to stereotype but until you have lived it you won't understand it.

This discussion is really broad because it is a stereotype. Fraternities differ at every university and every fraternity at each university is a little different. They even change over the years. The fraternity I was in is A LOT different than it was when I was there.

[strike-3]

:confused:Then quite possibly something has changed because when I attended in the late 60s and early 70s there were no frats and it remained that way when my niece went in the late 80s early 90s.

 

If Greeks exist on ND's campus than it must be extremely recent. As of March 2006

 

"I think having a Greek life would boost the social scene on campus and make it more fun," Alston said. "If there was a Greek life, I would pledge for the experience because I have heard good things about [the Greek system]."

 

Director of Admissions Dan Saracino said the University's housing system "definitely" attracts prospective students and that students interested in attending Notre Dame never express concern over the absence of a Greek life on campus.

 

"The lack of frats and sororities makes Notre Dame a special place and - instead of being a drawback - gives the University an edge over other top colleges," Saracino said. "We're proud of this. It makes us unique."

 

Students said despite any support Greek organizations might have among undergraduates, the University will likely maintain the tradition-based policy.

 

"I do not think Notre Dame will ever include a Greek system because of one thing - they haven't yet," Alston said. "Also, they have yet to get rid of parietals or institute multi-sex dorms, which would have to come first and appear to be difficult to have changed."

 

Keenan junior Brendan Hanehan said he "can't envision a scenario" in which Notre Dame would ever implement a Greek system.

 

"I think the University prizes its own unique form of residentiality too much," he said.

 

Alumni freshman Michael Angulo said he does not think Notre Dame "will or should ever allow" fraternities and sororities on campus.

 

"I would never pledge in a frat - I don't think they are the best places for me to find my college social life," Angulo said. "I think dorms at ND are cool [be]cause you can be as involved or [not] involved as you want."

[RockPride]

^ I agree with all of the above. M y experience was very different in that I was a football player and a frat guy, not really looking for the latter....but I felt destined that's where I was meant to be. Going to WKU, a lot of my fellow alums became Sigma Chi's...which I certainly could've followed suit. I went to a fraternity that was an awesome snap shot of society, like the above we had kids from all different suits. The bad part is, I talk to one, and only one of my brothers, or team mates, or class mates for what thats worth. I don't even really speak with those that I graduated Trinity with. I guess I am weird in that sense. Life has brought me through various different channels with which I have changed, and those that I have chosen to be my closest friends have come and gone. I would still never change my fraternity life experience, mainly because it helped to form who I am right now. Ironically, my BGP twin, is a BROTHER

[strike-3]

So rocket and wireman have given us 3 reasons why frats are good.

1.Longtime friendships

2.Opportunity for a nice job out of college

3.Girls

 

All those can also be obtained by a guy not in a frat.

 

Bet your dorm friends didn't raise tens of thousands of dollars for charity each semester either. So make philantrophy item #4.

[strike-3]

Yeah, its prob just rumors, I can stand some hazing, but thats a little much, lol. But, yeah sounds good, hopefully it will be an easy choice

 

You shouldn't stand for ANY hazing, that is not what a fraternity should be about. I know it goes on, but I can honestly say that I was never once hazed on any level prior to my initiation.

[RockPride]

Bet your dorm friends didn't raise tens of thousands of dollars for charity each semester either. So make philantrophy item #4.

 

The above, actually, is a huge, HUGE part of fraternities that get minimal publicity, but do wonders.

[RockPride]

You shouldn't stand for ANY hazing, that is not what a fraternity should be about. I know it goes on, but I can honestly say that I was never once hazed on any level prior to my initiation.

 

We had "hazing" by the minimal sense of the word. But not near the freakish things that you read about in the papes, and on the net. Maybe some guys having to do work around the house in a skirt, or whatever. It was all in great fun, and we all did it. I promise the hazing that I received as a freshman football player for Western was far, FAR worse than any Fraternity hazing ever thought about being.

[spe690]

Yeah, its prob just rumors, I can stand some hazing, but thats a little much, lol. But, yeah sounds good, hopefully it will be an easy choice

 

Rumors like these are what ruin the reputation of Greek life. My advice is to check out what each fraternity has to offer and how you are able to transition those beliefs into your life as well as mold the fraternity that you join into some of your beliefs. Check out the SigEps at UK. I wasn't around the UK chapter very much but they seemed to be a good group of guys! :thumb:

[strike-3]

I can see where some of you would feel like joining a fraternity is buying your friends, however, in my case it cost less to pay your dues and living in the house than it would have just to live in the campus dorm. So I guess I got all of the benefits of Greek life for free. :dancingpa