Greek recruitment season is upon us once again. Picture an opportunity to look around for a group of people who may share some of your values, have a good time, and work to encourage growth and service in our community.

Throughout these next couple of weeks you will hear reason upon reason for why you should “Go Greek!” Here are a few additional ones you need to hear as well, that maybe recruitment chairs are not telling you.

Don’t go Greek if you want an easy way to make friends. Fraternal and sororal bonds are something that take time and require effort. You should not just expect to show up on day one and be best friends with everyone, or even like everyone. The bonding that comes through putting on events, attending educationals, and going through pledging take a level of personal commitment that you need to be prepared to give. You are not paying for a service to buy friends. Individuals who are there just for the friends and nothing else can come across as shallow and not truly committed to the mission of Greek Life.

Don’t go Greek if you just want to party. This follows along the lines of only doing it for friends. Honestly though, if you want the social aspect on Friday night, but don’t want to wake up in the morning for the mandatory educational event at 9AM you’re going to find that you won’t like it too much. There is nothing wrong with wanting a group of friends who you can feel comfortable with and feel as though you can hang out with on a weekend. Your brothers/sisters are not just there for you on the weekends though, they are a part of your weekly life as well.

Don’t go Greek if you hate being told what to do. There are requirements, standards, mandatory events, and so many more things expected of you as a member of the Greek Community. You are expected to hold yourself to a higher standard than others. Your entire life will be lived under the “fishbowl” of public judgement and speculation. Your actions automatically are related to your group and to the entire Greek Community as a whole. You will live and breath educationals, service events, philanthropies, and fundraisers. You cannot just show up on Friday and Saturday night, but not be present for the work that goes on Sunday-Thursday. Your chapter executives will expect a lot from you, and in turn you will gain a lot as well. 

But here’s a secret as well…

You can do it! If you enjoy a challenge, supportive environments, and people who hold values as a collective you will fit into Greek Life. People will comment on how they tend to see many student leaders who are additionally Greeks. It is by no accident that Student Senate is comprised of a vast majority of those in Greek Life. Or that national politicians overwhelmingly have a background as a fraternity man or sorority woman. Greeks rise to the top as leaders because they understand commitment, dedication, and service.

You will have a good time and you will have the opportunity to make lifelong friends as well. My advice to you is to make sure to go all in. If you are accepted into a fraternity or sorority this is your opportunity to make an impact on this community and your life. That is not to say that you cannot do this elsewhere, but Greek Life is unique. You would be hard pressed to find a group of people more supportive or dedicated to helping you grow as an individual.

Greek Life at Gustavus is unique and is also open to those who put in the time and energy to do their research and learn. My advice, visit with multiple groups, attend multiple recruiting events, and bid more than one group. Each group is different and these differences are important to their success as well. The Inter-Greek Senate is sponsoring a recruitment information night on Monday the 21st. Look for more information about this event and gain the knowledge you need to make an informed choice.

Best of Luck!