Jibbli

The stereotyping of fraternities is something that even my closest friends will buy into. But, through recent personal experiences, I have witnessed firsthand that the stereotype of fraternities can be incorrect and insulting to those who are actually brothers in a fraternity.

A stereotypical looking Frat Boy.

First, allow me to go into detail about the stereotype of a fraternity, and how many of my fellow classmates imagine my pledge brothers and future brothers. When the word, “fraternity” gets thrown around in a conversation, most people can formulate an image in their mind of what a “frat boy” might look like—wearing double polo shirts, with the collar popped; holy jeans, typically a light colored pair; a flat billed hat, probably a popular baseball team; and a beer can, most likely a cheap brand, in his hand. To go along with this image, there are actions that people also relate to brothers in a fraternity. Such actions include brothers calling everyone “bro,” partying hardcore every chance the brothers can get, and looking for the quick nightly hook up with some easy women. To sum up the stereotype of a member in a Greek organization, Dan Opp, author at an online college fact website, said he or she is out looking for trouble, negligent, and immature. But, this is only the surface of descriptions that fit the stereotype of a brother in a fraternity. All of these claims are far from a generalization of all fraternities as a whole, and such dramatization of fraternities has come from Hollywood and movies depicting fraternities as places where crazy parties go down—and bad things result.

Anyone who gives fraternities a chance, and actually takes a look inside the ritual, the beliefs, and the inner workings can see that fraternities are much more than just a place to party. Being in and a part of a fraternity is something special, but something that is different then what people tend to think. The Sigma Chi fraternity strives to make its brothers do things that they wouldn’t do otherwise. Joe Gangnon, a brother at Sigma Chi, said that being in a fraternity was something that made him become more of a leader, and ultimately made him who he is today. “I used to be shy, and not get out much,” he said, but being around Gangnon it is easy to see that he is much different now. This is one of many similar stories that brothers will share with anyone who inquires, but some will even go into telling you that it has also helped them academically. Justin Coleman, another brother at Sigma Chi, claimed that being in a fraternity helped him primarily with grades, “I’ve never been good with tests, and grades, and such, but being here with other people in the same situation as me, helps keep me motivated and supported to do well in school”. There are a lot of things that go on in a positive manner with fraternities, yet fraternities still cannot shake that barrier of stereotypes placed upon them. Every time something wrong goes on with a fraternity, the media blows it up, yet every day there are thousands of constructive and upbeat things fraternities do to help move the communities they live in move forward (Opp). Fraternities around the world each day help their brothers move their life forward, improve brothers’ grades above campus standards, and positively interact with communities, all of these things are simply overlooked by media, Hollywood, and people who do not have an active affiliation with Greek life.

Going Greek is a decision that hundreds of thousands of college students each year choose, and it could be one of the most important decisions that undergraduate students make in their lifetime. Joining a fraternity has many more upsides than people think. The doors that are open by becoming a Greek member are countless and can prove to be beneficial throughout the remainder of a person’s life. Character building, lifelong friendship, leadership abilities, and a higher tolerance level towards people are all gained though the path of brotherhood in a fraternity. The building of character is something that everyone needs to become who they want to be, and being in a fraternity is a very good way to do that. Being in a house with people who care about you, and have the same ideals as you is one of the strongest ways to build a person’s character. Gangnon is just one example of what being in a fraternity can do for a person’s character, and it certainly helped evolve him to become a positive impact on Ball State University’s society.

Grades are the upmost important thing that going to college is about. Grades decide what will become of your life, and they really say a lot about who you are as a person. People with grades that are above average tend to get more of what they really want in life, and landing that dream job is all just a small part of enjoying the benefits of getting good grades. While on the other hand, getting sub-par grades can give off the impression that a person slacks in everyday business, does not give the necessary effort to obtain valuable things, and all around not the kind of person you want in your organization. Organizations like fraternities want their future to not only rest in the hands of people with similar ideals, but also someone who manage good grades in the process. Once initiated, maintaining good grades is statistically an easy thing, in an article in the US News & World Report, Lewis Lord wrote “If the chapter has a high GPA the student’s grades will go up”. The fraternities in the Interfraternity Council (IFC) combat grades in another way as well. The IFC requires the pledges of its fraternities complete three academic building sessions, which can include legitimate tutoring, supervised study groups, and extra credit—or else there are fines to pay. The bottom line is clear; grades are priority in fraternities around the world.

One of the most over looked part about Greek life is how Greek organizations give back so much to communities. At Eastern Kentucky University, members of Greek organizations contributed over 63,000 hours of community service, from only twenty-seven organizations. Not only was a massive amount of community service contributed to the area around EKU, approximately $115,000 was donated to philanthropies on both the local and national level. Fraternities at Ball State can show the similar numbers as well, with Sigma Chi requiring all brothers to actively participate in at least ten hours of community service per semester, plus each pledge class to organize and participate in their own community service project separately from the house. With all that being said, it is hard to imagine how fraternities have a massive black mark on their image.

This kind of mass stereotype affects hundreds of thousands of Greek members in almost 800 colleges around the world, yet with a few over exaggerated accidents and big screen movies depicting bad judgment and decisions, all the quality outcomes that fraternities give to colleges and communities are simply over looked and forgotten about. Taking a look at the evidence supporting the positive areas of going Greek, it is hard to imagine that that communities and colleges are not supporting their students to go Greek. Making the smart decision in going Greek can be the best decision that an undergraduate student, at college campuses around the world, can make. The benefits of doing so include character development, better grades, and giving to the community, yet there are still people who think that joining a fraternity is like joining a gang, with hazing, and other immature acts, but allow me to say this, many colleges and fraternities are cracking down on hazing, and to this day I have not been hazed as a Pledge in the Sigma Chi fraternity.