Thread: Should I join a fraternity?

I'm thinking about joining a social fraternity on campus.

pros:
-I went to highschool with and am good friends with some of the guys
-I know a good portion of the members already
- I'm a little shy so it could be a great opportunity to meet people
- Could be a lot of fun
- I feel like this fraternity has some standards. Aka, not your typical "get drunk 24/7 party house."

cons:
-A big time commitment, especially since im a chemical engineering major
- Possibly some drinking during weekdays. (I really don't like being hungover for class, though once in a while its alright).
- Costly, about 500-1000$ a year, depending on how much optional stuff I do
- Could lead to less interest in school

Also, I talked to a guy who sounded like he was in a similar situation as me. He wasn't particularly fond of the school or social life before rushing. However, after rushing he loves it.

Thoughts?

I was in a fraternity in college and had a great time. Just make sure the guys in the house are good guys. There are a lot of douchebag houses out there but there are also some ones that have members from all walks of life and living in that kind of mix is a really interesting dynamic. Plus the best part is you don't have to leave your house to party, the party comes to you. Also a good network for jobs and stuff after college, if you need it. While I am not an active member of my fraternity any more by any means, I would definitely give preferential treatment to someone who was in my fraternity if it came to giving someone a shot at a job (doesn't mean I'd hire them if they obviously sucked, but I'd at least give them an interview for sure) and know others would do the same for me.

If I had a do-over in college I would definitely join up again. I would also go to class more and party less during the week, wait no I don't, I graduated and have a job, so party on man just don't flunk out.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

I'm thinking about joining a social fraternity on campus.

pros:
-I went to highschool with and am good friends with some of the guys
-I know a good portion of the members already
- I'm a little shy so it could be a great opportunity to meet people
- Could be a lot of fun
- I feel like this fraternity has some standards. Aka, not your typical "get drunk 24/7 party house."

cons:
-A big time commitment, especially since im a chemical engineering major
- Possibly some drinking during weekdays. (I really don't like being hungover for class, though once in a while its alright).
- Costly, about 500-1000$ a year, depending on how much optional stuff I do
- Could lead to less interest in school

Also, I talked to a guy who sounded like he was in a similar situation as me. He wasn't particularly fond of the school or social life before rushing. However, after rushing he loves it.

Thoughts?

I don't know where that $500-1000 figure comes from, but I was active in my fraternity at both schools I attended and neither of them came out anywhere near $1000 a semester, much less a year. Your dues may be in the $500-1000 range, but there's a lot of incidental costs that your dues simply will not cover... T shirts, social events, gifts, special clothing, pledge activities, etc. Not to mention that the whole point of a fraternity is to be social, which often translates into bar tabs.

That said, I would recommend it. It really is an opportunity where you get out everything that you put in.

Just out of curiosity, which fraternities were you two in?

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Just out of curiosity, which fraternities were you two in?

Phi Kappa Tau

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phi_Kappa_Tau[/ame]


stupid wikipedia tag code, sorry about the jumbled mess above

Kind of an interesting history, basically we were founded on being NOT like a regular fraternity, we just wanted to be able to operate on a level playing ground with other fraternities at the time:

The fraternity was founded as the Non-Fraternity Association to give Miami's non-fraternity men a voice in campus political affairs

NO NEVER

Join Lambda Lambda Lambda.

Think about it this way:

Everyone who isn't in your fraternity will think you're a giant faggot while you're doing fraternity stuff. (well, everyone with the exception of skankolas.)



GO FOR IT!!

I'd like to point out that joining a fraternity can be a useful way to make business connections for later in life. Of course the usefulness of said business connections can vary depending on what fraternity you join and what college you attend.

I'm obviously not in a fraternity, but my brother is in one and has already used his fraternity connections to line up a possible internship.

We don't have fraternities here, but I think you might as well join and get the experience while you can.

Originally Posted by KT.

I'd like to point out that joining a fraternity can be a useful way to make business connections for later in life. Of course the usefulness of said business connections can vary depending on what fraternity you join and what college you attend.

I'm obviously not in a fraternity, but my brother is in one and has already used his fraternity connections to line up a possible internship.

This is true. It's a bullshit thing, but it is very true.

frats are cool


if you wanna be a faggot who buys his friends.



edit: and all of us NORMAL, INTELLIGENT people laugh at all you losers for joining frats. have fun sucking each others' dicks in your big man-house while i'm off fucking your girl ~

yeah, someone sounds jealous

Wow, hell hath no fury like a geek that doesn't fit in, eh?

Originally Posted by DAVIDSDIVAD

Wow, hell hath no fury like a geek that doesn't fit in, eh?

Originally Posted by dark llama

frats are cool


if you wanna be a faggot who buys his friends.



edit: and all of us NORMAL, INTELLIGENT people laugh at all you losers for joining frats. have fun sucking each others' dicks in your big man-house while i'm off fucking your girl ~

Originally Posted by DAVIDSDIVAD

Think about it this way:

Everyone who isn't in your fraternity will think you're a giant faggot while you're doing fraternity stuff. (well, everyone with the exception of skankolas.)



GO FOR IT!!

But you see, I'm better than them, unlike a seething geek.


EDIT: Just realized I'm replying to KT. LOOL

Originally Posted by DAVIDSDIVAD

But you see, I'm better than them, unlike a seething geek.

Hey, OP, are you joining a fraternity or what?

Originally Posted by KT.

Originally Posted by Nermy2k

"better than they"

Nermy is better than me

better than most

I never understood fraternities. Seems like you are selling a part of yourself to make friends and party. Business connections can be made other ways, but I can see how it can definitely be useful. Not my style however.

I'm in college and don't plan on joining a fraternity. Then again, I'm already part of the largest fraternity in the US...

My frat can out drink your frat; hell, we don't even know what "binge" drinking is.

Time to go to bed, three cases of beer in the past three days takes its toll.

Originally Posted by Meatball

I never understood fraternities. Seems like you are selling a part of yourself to make friends and party. Business connections can be made other ways, but I can see how it can definitely be useful. Not my style however.

I'm with you on this one. I definitely don't plan to join one because it seems like you're forcing yourself into this group of people and it's like (ignore my ignorance, but) SUP BROOOOOOOOOO. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRULY HATE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE THE HOTTEST GUY IN THE FRAT GETTING ALL THE GIRLS AT THE PARTIES, OR YOU'RE A DOUCHE, (or whatever) I GOTTA TREAT YOU WITH LOVE AND RESPECT. That's just my view, but I'm sure the pros out weigh the cons, just not my style either. Hopefully i'll just get my connections some other way.

This guy I know is pretty stupid and is hated by a lot of people because of it, so I imagine some of his frat bros enjoy his company, plus he lives in the house with them.

Sorry this is a little late but an update:

I ended up joining a service fraternity (different than the fraternity I was talking about in the original post)

It's awesome.

- 70-100$ a dues a year instead of a shit ton more
- I get to drink for free this semester
- I get to do a bunch of community service ( I like doing community service)
- I get to add a ton of service hours to my resume
- all the benefits of a social fraternity without paying through my ass and partying so much

so yeah, so far win-win

Congrats, service frats look really good for you without much of a derogatory shadow casting over you

Why not boss up and start your own club.

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Sorry this is a little late but an update:

I ended up joining a service fraternity (different than the fraternity I was talking about in the original post)

It's awesome.

- 70-100$ a dues a year instead of a shit ton more
- I get to drink for free this semester
- I get to do a bunch of community service ( I like doing community service)
- I get to add a ton of service hours to my resume
- all the benefits of a social fraternity without paying through my ass and partying so much

so yeah, so far win-win

No sorority access.

Not worth it.