Fraternities in the USA Universities
When the average person thinks about fraternities, the first thing that usually pops into mind are images of a bunch of college guys getting drunk, getting naked with the members of their sister sorority, playing pranks on one another, and generally slacking off. The poor image most people have of college fraternities has not been helped out by the ABC Family drama, Greek.
While there is some carousing and goofing off by the members of various fraternities, which are by no means the sole purpose of frats.
Members of Fraternities are Flunking Out of School
One of the biggest myths about fraternities is that the members of fraternities are barely staying in school. This isn't surprising when you consider that the average person assumes that the average frat guy is either getting stoned or is passed out somewhere, and that they never manage to get to class. What few people understand is that most colleges and universities require that frat's maintain a predetermined GPA. This GPA is usually higher than some of the students would try to maintain on their own. Since the last thing the fraternity wants is to be put on academic probation, the members of the frat encourage and help one another maintain an acceptable GPA. Through connections with other current and past fraternity members, most fraternities actually have more academic resources available to them than other, fraternity less, students.
All the Members of Fraternities Want to Do Is Party
It seems like anytime you hear about a college party getting out of hand, it always involves a fraternity. This always causes people to jump to the conclusion that the only reason people join the frat is that they can drink away the four years of their college life. This simply isn't true.
Sure, many members of the frats drink, but then again so do most college students. The difference is that because the campus authorities already know where the frat house is located, they are easy pickings. All the officer has to do is drive past the house, if they see signs of a party, all they have to do is break it up.
Going with the theory that most college students are drinking more than they should, the family atmosphere or a fraternity is actually a good thing. As a member of a fraternity at least the student is drinking with a group of people who know him and who are concerned about his well being. Another advantage of drinking with a member of a fraternity is that the members are usually very careful about laws involving drinking and driving and always make sure a member is in charge of making sure that their brothers get home safely, legally, and in one piece.
Fraternities are Always Involved in Dangerous Hazing
Some members of a fraternity are always going to be playing pranks on their brothers, it's to be expected. The average member of a fraternity is usually a healthy young man who is living without parental supervision for the first time in their life. Plus they are surrounded by other young men. Pranks are going to abound. The thing people have to understand is that there is a huge difference between pranks and hazing. Pranks can be humbling and maybe a little embarrassing, they can certainly be embarrassing. But hazing is something completely different. Hazing usually involves something that can jeopardize a student’s social standing, their personal and or emotional well being, or worse. Fraternities are governed by a national body, which has strict rules regarding hazing. Not only do most fraternity by-laws strictly forbid hazing, they also list activities that will be considered hazing. In addition to the national division of a fraternity forbidding hazing, most colleges and universities also have rules regarding pranks and hazing. In most cases the student and/or students caught participating in such activities will be expelled.
Fraternity Members Have No Respect for Women
This is perhaps the most ludicrous of all the myths. Sure there are always going to be a few frat brothers who are just looking for a quick tumble between the sheets, but that is going to be the case with any group of men, it doesn't matter if they are athletes, lawyers, or fraternity brothers. The reality is that a vast majority of guys who join fraternities are actually interested in establishing a committed relationship with a girl but don't know how to go about meeting them. Most fraternities are paired up with a sister sorority with whom they participate in a variety of functions. This gives the shy brothers a chance to meet women in a friendly and relaxed environment, giving them the confidence they need to break out of their shell.
Only the Wealthy can be in a Fraternity
Since members are charged dues and are expected to help out with the day to day expenses associated with managing the house, many non-frat members assume that only the wealthy can join. If that were the case there wouldn't be as many frat members as there are. Being a member of a fraternity does cost money, but then so does being a non-Greek college student. As a member of a fraternity, the boys must learn to manage their money so that they can cover their fraternity expenses and still have some pocket money.
Fraternity Members are Lazy and Make No Effort to Improve Themselves
The reality is that fraternities and sororities are actually very good for the community and the universities. Most of the Greek organizations require that their members perform a minimum number of hours doing charitable deeds and community service.
The reality about fraternities in the United States is that they have a worse reputation than they deserve. Not only does the fraternity provide its members with a family while they are in college. But the students will continue to benefit from the fraternity long after they have graduated. The friendships they made while in college will last for the rest of their life, and no matter where they go, they will always find former members of the same fraternity who are willing to offer advice and comfort whenever it is needed.
In addition to providing the members with a lifelong support unit the fraternity can also help them on their career path. Many employers have been known to hire a person simply because of their involvement with a fraternity, especially if the employer was once a member of the same frat.