As Rush week comes to a close and the final bids are made, the common question around campus is whether it is a good idea for each individual to rush. There are multiple opinions about Greek Life as a whole, as well as rush week in general. While none of us are exactly experts on the subject matter, we all have our own personal thoughts and opinions on the subject.
As someone who didn’t rush, I’m not really for or against Greek Life. It is a good fit for some students to be a part of; however, Greek Life isn’t right for everyone. Although many think they have to be part of the Greek system to have the “college experience,” at DU that isn’t really the case.
When students were asked what kind of impact they think the Greek system has on our campus, there was a variety of answers. Some feel that Greek Life students are exclusive, highlight things that truly matter, that Greek Life divides campus and thar it is a very stereotypical college experience.
However, many also feel that Greek Life members do amazing things for campus, whether it be fundraising or hosting public service events. This second group also feels that rushing is a great way to meet new people, being in fraternity or sorority may lead to important connections later in life and that Greek Life brings a great spirit to the campus. Every possible view of Greek Life, positive or negative, was expressed at some point in interviews I conducted for this piece.
For instance, the side that was not for rushing felt that it was exclusive because they felt they were very different from the average Greek participant, so they would feel out of place. Additionally, it’s hard to comment on if someone isn’t focusing on highlighting important values because everyone’s values are different.
As for dividing campus: regardless of whether or not Greek Life existed, there would be something that not every member was involved in due to limited spots or different interests.
As for the side for rushing: it’s understandable to want a social group with similar values and interests. In response to having connections in life: connections are always valuable but can come from anywhere is great, but, if you have similar interests. If you aren’t interested in Greek Life, it may be a waste of your time to rush because you are less likely to find the people you’d click with in that location if that wasn’t one of your interests.
The fact that we all feel so differently about the subject matter is actually what makes this so great — it means our campus is filled with people with many different mindsets and interests. It’s what sets this campus apart from many others, because on a number of college campuses, Greek Life is a big part of what makes up the quintessential college experience; it would be weird if you weren’t Greek. Many other campuses in the United States have a much higher percentage of students who are official Greek members than we do at DU. Here, it is merely one of the many options for being involved and you should actively seek to find your own niche on campus.
We may have similar numbers in terms of what percentage of the population rushes but what many fail to realize is that rush week is when Greek Life seems most prominent on campus due to the fact that it’s recruitment time. It’s the start of the new year, and more people are involved or are looking to get involved in the Greek system than once the houses are sorted out and people are cut. Many of them will either drop out, not get a bid or were never rushing to begin with.
It is entirely up to you whether or not to be involved. At the end of the day, nobody will like you any more or any less based on whether you choose to be a member of a fraternity or sorority. We all just want our friends and fellow classmates to be happy because that’s what is most important. Everyone just wants to belong somewhere, and you should never feel that “goin’ Greek” is your only option.
