Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

[vapacersfan]

Or were you in college? I just rushed for a fraternity on my campus, but I only have one semester left so I got involved very late in the game.

Just wondering if any of you are involved and if so what fraternity (or sorority) are you a part of?

[cdash]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

Yeah, I was in college. I really liked it, and I too was late to the party. I was in Acacia at IU. On a big campus like that, it really shrunk the place and made meeting people easier. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Putnam]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

I can still remember seeing about a dozen guys with ropes around their necks and the other end of the ropes lashed to the back of a pickup truck, running for their lives up McKinley Avenue during Rush Week at Ball State in 1978.

I ran right after them and said, "Hey, that looks like fun. Can I join?" but they wouldn't let me.

I've never gotten over the disappointment.

[Los Angeles]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

I used to play in a band and we would perform at fraternity parties. Saw a lot of people do a lot of really disgraceful things to themselves, each other and more importantly to women who were outnumbered and out of their minds on booze or drugs.

At one party, at an off campus house rented by one of the most "respected" houses at IU, I was trying to find a certain room upstairs where my bandmates were supposed to be hanging out. I opened up a door into a room and saw a girl who was completely passed out laying on her back on a coffee table with one guy on top of her and 5 guys surrounding her. They were evidently waiting their turn.

I walked in and couldn't help but shout "WHOA!" and try to close the door quickly and get downstairs to find someone to help me stop it. Three of the guys spin around and take off after me, tackling me in the hall. To say they kicked my *** was an understatement.

The *** kicking only lasted about 60 seconds (which was enough) before my bandmates heard the commotion and came out of the room I was originally trying to find two doors down. They break it up as best they can. I tell them what was going on "they're gang-banging a passed out chick in there and I walked in on it"

The LL Bean catalog rapists start in with "She totally wants it" and "we'll kick all your asses" and so forth, [EDIT: which didn't make sense to anyone even at the time - if the sex was consensual, why did they chase after me?] So my band mate, who was a big guy, pulls out his leatherman knife and they take me downstairs and out. We try to find a phone (this was before cell phones) and call the cops.

It took 45 minutes for the cops to show up and they break up the party but can't find the girl and can't find the guys who kicked my ***.

They ask me everything they can but then they talk about what an unreliable witness I'm going to be since I had been drinking that night.

- - - - -

This is just one of a bunch of messed up stories I can share about Big 10 fraternity hell.

Another one involved a freshman who drank to the point that he virtually stopped breathing. it took hours for anyone to take him to the hospital, not because they didn't know he was in bad shape - it took that long for them to argue about wether or not the fraternity would get in trouble.

That whole house was kicked off campus for good because they put the fraternity first and the medical care of a member second.

Story after story after story.

- - - - -

I get that people want to make friends. I get that they want to feel like they belong, but the bigger the group, the dumber it gets, imho. If you enter a system like this, remember to keep your moral center. DO THE RIGHT THING and take the opportunity, not to follow people simply because they have seniority, but to show YOUR LEADERSHIP.

If you go this route, you will know quickly if you are a good fit with the house you are pledging. If you feel that you are being compromised in your principles, get out.

[btowncolt]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

So..........I guess after LA's post, it's an awkward transition to make a quip about the Greek woman I was with last weekend.

Huh.

Hi, VA!

[vapacersfan]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

All fair points L.A.

I do have to say that while you make valid points, the times have definitly changed.

It is kind of ironic because I actually auditioned for a film two summers ago based on the greek system (this was before I knew anything about greek life).

I will say that we are a smaller school, but even with us being smaller things are very strict. You can not get away with anything that you used to, and if the word "hazing" is even thought the whole organization will get shut down. Notice I did not say "investigated", I said "shut down". There is zero tolerance for the crap that used to happen.

With that said, I do think unfair stereotypes exist. Of course the drinking and partying (and sex) does happen, but people see a movie like animal house and they think that is real life.

I get that people want to make friends. I get that they want to feel like they belong, but the bigger the group, the dumber it gets, imho. If you enter a system like this, remember to keep your moral center. DO THE RIGHT THING and take the opportunity, not to follow people simply because they have seniority, but to show YOUR LEADERSHIP.

If you go this route, you will know quickly if you are a good fit with the house you are pledging. If you feel that you are being compromised in your principles, get out.

All fair points. I will admit I am a total hypocrite as when my girlfriend went greek a few years ago I hated it and I said she was just "buying friends".

With that said, I quickly realized there is a lot more. And that does not take into account the fact that the networking really can pay off down the road. Granted with all good there is bad. No doubt this can be a bit of a pricey commitment (dues are not the only thing you are paying)

I will get off my soapbox now

P.S. We do not even have houses, we just have halls

[vapacersfan]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

So..........I guess after LA's post, it's an awkward transition to make a quip about the Greek woman I was with last weekend.

Huh.

Hi, VA!

Hi Btown. Hope all is well in law school

[btowncolt]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

Almost done. Then off to NYC.

The East Coast tour never ends.

[Los Angeles]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

I just looked it up and the house in my second story is back at IU. I guess the organization was allowed to start over after a few years.

[vapacersfan]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

Congratulations.

I just took the LSAT on Saturday. I am hoping to go work in film here in Florida or CA, but I may try the law school thing. Just not sure yet.

[btowncolt]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

I might wait out the economy for a year - which it sounds like you're doing anyway.

I got a job through ****dumb luck. Most people here haven't been as lucky.

Make sure to beat up the younger pledges. They like it.

[avoidingtheclowns]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

Make sure to beat up the younger pledges. They like it.

Remember to use olive oil liberally.

[cdash]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

I just looked it up and the house in my second story is back at IU. I guess the organization was allowed to start over after a few years.

Yeah they typically are. Usually, it's not even the school that kicks them off campus--it's their nationals. Boot them off temporarily, regardless of what they do, and they are back within a decade.

[Skaut_Ech]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?

Good, old I. U. fraternities, huh?!!

100 years ago when I was at I.U. I had a bunch of buddies who pledged frats. My "closest" buddies pledged, Phi Delta Theta, if I remember right. You would think I would remember exactly. Why?

I was invited to quite a few frat parties and had fun at them, but the monied, priviledged vibe was pretty strong at the few frats I frequented. It was free beer, my companions tended to be female, so I didn't think a whole lot about it...until....

My Phi Delt friends suggested I rush their house. They were so persistant that I began to consider it, even though I didn't know where I would come up with the money. Before I could give it a strong consideration, though, I was informed through the grapevine that the national chapter had been told about a black guy possibly rushing their house and let them know that it would be frowned upon and there may be subtle reprecussions if I made it in.

Needless to say, I quit going to frat parties and didn't rush.

Ahh...good times.

To show you how a generation can change, I went with my nephew to Dad's day at his frat at Purdue recently. He has no male figures in his life, so I was his proxy "Dad." I've known him since he was 6 months old.

So how did the day go? Excellent!! I was warmly and genuinely welcomed and had a great time. (Although the lack of cleanliness and general clutter of the house brought back memories, lol.)

So, I guess I can attest a bit to L.A.'s I.U. frat vibe.

[travmil]

Re: Are any of you in any Greek organizations?