I am also a PIKE from NKU from back in the late mid to late 70's and it was great as the fraternity house was off campus and we had a lot of fun there

and in alot of things we did. It was something to do and I did make alot of friends on top of the one's I already had. At that time was very inexpensive and alot of fun. Of course I was of legal age since just getting out of the USMC and all. JD

I think it's great if someone wants to join a fraternity or sorority. My ex and I were so upset when our son wanted to join SAE. However, since joining, his GPA has improved, he's now the Philanthropy Chair, (or some sort of title like that), and organizes special events for his house. He's built quite a reputation as a guy who gets things done, and it's actually helped him land a pretty good job. I think that people who think joining a fraternity is "buying friends" or a "waste of money" may be right...for themselves. But for the right person, it's much more of an opportunity. I'd say it isn't for everyone, but to demean it in such a dismissive and derogatory way isn't really fair.

I posted earlier in this thread but now I'm going to go a little more in depth for my reasoning behind seeing no real reason to join a fraternity.

 

People say you make great friendships, have new opportunities, etc. I say you can get the same thing without paying dues and everything else. Fraternities can be good I guess, I mean if you're a freshman looking to make instant friends, but seriously there is nothing that a fraternity offers that someone can't get by not being in one. I'm not bashing them, and I say if someone wants to be in one then that's their choice.

 

When I went to college I made a ton of friends by just being out going, joining intramurals, working in the student center, etc. I didn't have to rush a fraternity, go through some crazy initiation, and pay dues every semester to do that.

 

I made a lot of connections in college by working with different people, and they have since helped me out of college. I didn't have to join a fraternity to get that either.

 

All I'm trying to say is, for every reason someone has given in this thread about making tons of friends and receiving opportunities they had, that they wouldn't have had if they hadn't joined a fraternity, I can and did do the same without having to pay for it.

 

I have the connection to 240,000 people across the nation which will definitely help in many aspects.

 

Besides that fact, by being Greek it will help me with other members who are Greek when looking for jobs. Even though we may be from different fraternities I will still have an easier connection to those people and it really does make a difference.

 

That's part of what Greek individuals have that those who are not Greek are missing out on. I highly doubt someone who isn't Greek has that in their back pocket.

I really think unless you do it then it is very hard for those that didn't too understand. I still talk to my best friends from 1st grade up so maybe I'm different when it comes to loyalty of friends etc.

I hadn't really planned on joining a fraternity when I started school. I made a bunch of friends in my dorm as soon as school started and we stayed close all through school...in fact one is on BGP . I decided to check out rush for the heck of it because it was free food, a chance to meet more girls + organized sports etc. I ran into an old friend from high school that was a SR when I was a Frosh. I rushed but had been dating a girl for about 3 years so I didn't get all into it like some people. I think some of it has to do with the school you are at and the guys that are in the fraternity while you are there.

I didn't do much the 1st two years. I went to the parties, made a ton of friends, met tons of girls etc. Morehead only had one bar to party at and while there were house parties there was nothing like these parties. Girls galore! I eventually broke up with my girlfriend and it was even more fun.

The next two years I really found out what it was all about. I took on multiple leadership roles including President and Pledge Ed my last two years. Those two experiences were invaluable preparing me for life after college. We had close to 90 guys while I was President. I learned how to deal with different personalities, motivate different people, create a vision for things etc. This stuff you just don't learn in class. Parties were awesome, memeories were 2nd too none, intramurals were great etc. I also got paid to go to a leadership school in Chicago for a week. This stuff was not only great experience but has been great on the resume. Then there is the road of communitty service. We didn TONS of things. Enough to win a National award for Communitty Service. Once again great resume stuff.

Did it cost some cash...yeh. Do you usually pay a cover charge to get into a bar in college? Yeh. Do you pay way over price for beer in college...yeh. Could you bring your own beer to the fraternity parties...yeh. In the end if you do the math depending on how much you drank in college I could argue it saved me money. I've had friends all my life. The buying your friends quote is a cop out in my book for those that never joined. It's much more than that!

I never imagined I would have had the experiences I did joining a fraternity. 100's and 100's of friends from it. That is also pretty nice when you go out looking for jobs because networking can be HUGE! I ended up meeting my wife from it. Just last week I ran into about 10 different guys from my fraternity at the UK/UofL game and I've been out 10 years. Great time tailgaiting with them. I could go on and on from guys in the wedding, a guy that just died of cancer last year that we are working on setting his two girls up with college funds etc.

There is a flip side. I've seen some fraternities that there is no way I would have joined. Jerks, egos etc. Some colleges have way more to do than Morehead so that makes a difference I think. I also saw a lot of guys that got in, partied hard and flunked out. There are also guys that can't kick the drug habbit that some of them picked up in college ( I would imagine that is everywhere though).

In the end everybody is free to make their own opinions. I had low expectations going in and never would have dreamed what I got out of it! I made friends in class, dorm, work etc but the fraternity was a great experience. Actually we'll be getting together again (about 50 of us) to golf the day before homecoming and catch up at homecoming. It's a lifelong thing. Don't have the time I used too but we still keep in touch a lot.

The four years I spent at Morehead as a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity were invaluable to me in all aspects of life. After 32 years, I am still in weekly contact with at least 20 brothers.:thumb:

Frats are not worth the money you have to drop on them. Plus, most of them have a bad rap anyway. Why pay to make friends and to get invited to parties when you can do it for free. I think the worst place to join a frat is at NKU. The campus is so small how can u not make friends. Plus you can get career oppurtunities through programs at school, like internships or CO-OP. I just find it a big waste, but I had a lot of friends going into school and am outgoing so I guess I wasn't that concerned about it.

It seems there is some very strong anti-fraternity sentiment in this thread. As I said before, I believe that fraternities and sororities can be great things for those who want that. I don't think some people join them solely to meet friends. They provide great leadership opportunities and great lifetime benefits (outside of friendships) as well.

I have the connection to 240,000 people across the nation which will definitely help in many aspects.

 

Besides that fact, by being Greek it will help me with other members who are Greek when looking for jobs. Even though we may be from different fraternities I will still have an easier connection to those people and it really does make a difference.

 

That's part of what Greek individuals have that those who are not Greek are missing out on. I highly doubt someone who isn't Greek has that in their back pocket.

 

Being "Greek" would not help me get a job in law enforcement, so that aspect of it would be useless to me.

Yeah, but not sorority girls. :taz:

 

A lot of the sorority girls I met were stuck up anyways :lol:.

My GF was in a sorority and many girls I know that were in it dropped out. Not for me really but I get why people do it I guess. It's a good way to network for later in your life but other than that I think everything else can be had without paying money for it. And by the way for every hot sorority girls I know I know about 10 hot girls that aren't in one so I don't think that factors into the decision at all. It's a little different at NKU to due to the campus.

I understand the perception those have that weren't in a fraternity. It's the same one I had. I think unless you were in one it's hard to really understand. I hate the phrase buying your friends. I've had a lot of friends my whole life and never once felt like I was paying money for friends.

2.50 x 10= $25.00 So if you drank 10 beers in a night at a bar + a $5 cover then that's $30. Now if you went out once on Thurs and once on say Wed or Sat then you are talking $60 a week. $240 a month. Fall Aug-mid Dec that adds up too $1,020 a semester. Dues weren't close to that. I guess anybody that ever went to a bar in college "bought their friends" only for a higher price with less to show for it

Being "Greek" would not help me get a job in law enforcement, so that aspect of it would be useless to me.

 

Have contacts in any industry could be a big help.

Have contacts in any industry could be a big help.

 

I'm sure in some departments knowing the right person might help a little, but it won't help nearly as much as in another profession IMO. That's just my opinion though, I'm not in law enforcement yet.

I'm sure in some departments knowing the right person might help a little, but it won't help nearly as much as in another profession IMO. That's just my opinion though, I'm not in law enforcement yet.

 

Probably because you aren't in a fraternity lol big joke. Times are hard to get a job in many industries cause it sucks.

 

The thing that confuses me is when people say, "I hate fraternities". I could care less if you don't want to join, its definitely your decision, but where does the hatred usually come from? lol.

Probably because you aren't in a fraternity lol big joke. Times are hard to get a job in many industries cause it sucks.

 

The thing that confuses me is when people say, "I hate fraternities". I could care less if you don't want to join, its definitely your decision, but where does the hatred usually come from? lol.

 

I don't hate 'em. Hell, I enjoyed drinking their beer.