The Greek system on this campus has been mired, for the last few years, in an unenviable situation of great student apathy, administrative neglect, and an arrest-happy TUPD. Several instances, which I need not recount, have left the Greek system reeling, as it seems that almost every semester a slew of incidents occur that both tarnish the Greek system's reputation and/or put one of its fraternities on probation.
This piece is not an attempt to win over administrative support (for they seem hell-bent on destroying the Greek system altogether) nor is it a plea to police officers to quit breaking up parties (they're just doing their job), rather I will attempt to demonstrate the many advantages of Greek life, despite the negative connotation that currently surrounds that institution on this campus.
There is little doubt that Greek life is the center of what little social scene exists on this campus. Other options might be available to some students, but the vast majority of underclassmen get their kicks at fraternity parties. True, these events often degenerate into nights of drunken debauchery, but come on people, this is college. For four years, you're given the opportunity to live with little or no responsibilities. Before you know it, you'll be working a nine-to-five, and ten years down the road, you're going to wake up one morning, look over and wonder, who is this person beside me? At that point, you might ask, what happened to my youth?
Tufts might not be FSU, but since we're here, we might as well make the best of it. Fraternities provide an outlet for basic socializing that simply does not occur on a Friday night at the library. For those of you who do not take advantage of this excellent Tufts resource, I am truly saddened. As for the rest of you, put your beers on the ground when the cops come in!
But I have digressed, for in truth, Greek life isn't just about partying. The Greek system runs many events that give back to the community. Some examples include Greek Jam, held at the end of Spring semester, sorority club nights, Kids Day, and Read by the River. That is not to say that more could not be done, but these serve as adequate examples of the Greek system's doing more than just throwing parties. If social functions were the only attractive aspects of Greek life, I highly doubt that the Greek system would exist on this campus at all. Still, fraternity parties and charity events aren't the only factors that have allowed the Tufts Greek system to survive. In my opinion, many other reasons exist that make a decision to join the Greek system the right one.
Firstly, joining a fraternity or sorority gives many students the chance to take pride in something. Moreover, for many, it offers a sense of purpose, a direction that is sometimes lacking for underclassmen. Starting college is often a difficult adjustment. Being thrust into a strange, new environment, far from home and family, can be downright traumatic for most students. Many students search in vain for a sense of direction freshman year. Joining a fraternity or sorority is often the solution. I, for one, felt that joining a fraternity helped me consolidate my goals and allowed me to better strive to achieve them. Ironically, my GPA has risen this year despite living in a fraternity house. Admittedly, that does not hold true for every fraternity brother, but personally, joining a fraternity and living in the house was the best decision I have made at college.
Secondly, some of the best advantages of joining a Greek house are the connections one gains from simply becoming a member. Not only have I developed good relationships with the 50 or so brothers in my house, but with many other members of the Greek community as well. Additionally, the fraternity has given me more than just a group of guys to hang out with on the weekend. I now know that I have developed a network of friends and associates that I will have long into the future. Some may feel that this network might come at the price of others outside the Greek community. Others might say that they feel "stuck" in the Greek community. But that really depends on the person. I still maintain strong ties with friends from freshman year, and I remain actively involved with other aspects of Tufts life.
Lastly, and this ties in with what has already been mentioned, a fraternity or sorority offers students a place they can call home. Whether you live in a chapter house or just stop there for lunch or on the weekends, you know there is always someone to hang out with, someone who you would consider a friend. In my opinion, this sure beats eating Hodgon alone in your dorm room, or watching the Super Bowl from the "comfort" of a Tilton or Carmichael common room. On a related note, any man who has yet to see the Super Bowl half-time show at DTD has never really lived.
Furthermore, calling a fraternity or sorority home for your college days makes you a life-member of a greater national body. Often, alums return to their chapter houses ten years later, and buy the booze for the weekend. I can clearly recall when a certain Randall Pinkman returned last semester; not only did he buy all the beer for the party, but he was also the most ridiculous man there. I guess he put new meaning into the term "life-member."
For many, pledging a fraternity or sorority was the best decision they ever made. Understandably however, the Greek system isn't for everybody. Still, it remains an important facet of campus life. Without it, a certain element (not just parties) would be missing. Thus, last semester's actions by the administration and TUPD left me pessimistic. But as of this past Super Bowl weekend, some of my confidence has returned. Parties basically went as planned, though an unofficial 2 a.m. curfew seems to be in effect. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come, as it bodes well for a warming relationship between the Greek community and the rest of the school on a whole. Hopefully, bodies like the IGC will help to break down the walls that separate Greeks from non-Greeks, creating an environment in which we can coexist peacefully, while still having some fun.
Aren Prupas is a sophomore majoring in political science. He is a member of AEPi and is the public relations representative for the Inter-Greek Council.
