What is a fraternity? To me a frat is a band of brothers, who go through trials together and have very fond memories of everything they have been through by the time graduation comes. What do you think of frats, besides the partying and the funny things that go on.
what is a fraternity??
(16 posts) (9 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
-
Not a fan of frats, from my experience the people in frats tend to be kinda "privileged" not that I've had a hard life, but from my experience the people in frats tend to not know the value of a dollar.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Er... I never liked frats. I always felt like it was a way for people to buy friends. I mean, you basically pay to be join a group of other guys who automatically become your brothers and do a bunch of silly hazing rituals and activities with them.
Posted 2 years ago # -
To me, joining a frat is just joining a clique. I wouldn't limit myself to one group of people.
Posted 2 years ago # -
There are a lot of genuinely positive benefits to "living the Greek life," such as being exposed to new activities and experiences, making new friends, and developing leadership qualities, just to name a few. It can be argued that many of the benefits and experiences that come from fraternity life can be achieved without actually having to join a fraternity. And I, personally, would agree. However, that's because I am the kind of person who can network, try new things, volunteer, make new friends -- generally, make things happen -- all on my own.
On the other hand, there are people who (for a variety of reasons) may struggle with these things. So a fraternity *can* be a great way for people like this to expose themselves to things that they may have otherwise not been able to. There are also some people who crave (and thrive!) in situations where they have a strong sense of brotherhood and belonging. Never underestimate the power of a good support system!
Now, there is a certain stigma that goes with fraternity life. Granted, much of this is founded in some of the undesirable behaviour that has been associated with fraternities and fraternity members throughout the past. The way I see it though, the same can apply anywhere a large group of immature individuals converge -- whether they belong to a fraternity or not. I've witnessed the highs and lows of fraternity life, so it wouldn't be fair for me to generalize. Which leads me to my next point.
Ultimately, it's all up to the individual. If you feel that you can benefit from joining a fraternity, then go for it. However, it's important that you do your research, as you will have to invest a lot of time and, possibly, a lot of money too. It's also crucial that you ensure that you are surrounding yourself with the right people, so take the time to ask questions and make sure that you are comfortable with the fraternity, its members, and their overall philosophy. Don't join a fraternity just for the sake of it. Take your time and trust your instincts!
Posted 2 years ago # -
I know that not all of them are like this, but I always got the "old boy network" impression from fraternities.
Posted 2 years ago # -
What are frats? Is it something typical American, because I don't know such thing in Europe, or maybe it just has another name?
Posted 2 years ago # -
It seems typically American. They are organizations or clubs that men in college join.They have designated houses that they all the frat brothers, as they are called, live in. So, the Greek symbol for three Deltas would be the symbol for the fraternity named 'Delta Delta Delta. Although I think that's actually a sorority, which is the female equivalent of a frat.Freshmen year is usually when the hazing is done, where the older members induct the recruits by having them perform series of tasks and challenges to prove their loyalty and sometimes just to humiliate them. It does cost money to join and contribute, but yeah, only have heard of them in America.If you've seen Animal House or Old School, those are funny examples.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Well, all you guys knew what it was so I guess it's popular or at least well known. In Europe you don't realy have that much clubs. I would realy have to think to find a few.
Posted 2 years ago # -
You mean clubs specifically in college or general?
Posted 2 years ago # -
College. Non-college I know some but in college it's rare.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Other movie examples would be Accepted, Naked Mile, Sydney White, and House Bunny. Some depict sororities instead of fraternities, but the idea is the same. All are comedies. And a guess a more serious version would be a movie that involved "stepping" that I can seem to remember.
Posted 2 years ago # -
From my experience the people in frats tend to be kinda "privileged" not that I've had a hard life.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The stereotype for frat boys is by no means the general rule. Speaking as one, I can say that some frats out there have some genuinely good guys in them. And not all of us are 'privileged'. I know I'm not.
It's a shame that frats get such a bad rap. There are definitely those out there who fit the stereotype all too well, but I'm real thankful I joined the one I did. It put me in new situations, exposed me to new experiences, introduced me to the Israel and Jewish community on my campus, and ultimately brought me out of my shell. My only regret is rushing my second year instead of my first year.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Beyond that, our frat has the highest GPA in the Greek community on campus (3.4 or something). So we're not all just a group of dumb jocks.
Frats can be expensive, but I balance it out with the benefits they provide, like social experiences and activities. And in Irvine, that's a hell of a hard thing to come by. If it wasn't for my fraternity, I think I would have lost my mind by now.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I love movie portrayals of what college life is.
Its such a lie :pPosted 2 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.