The place of Greek life on campus
Many may have come across the question about the place of Greek life on college campuses. In this essay, it shall be a discussion on the history of Greek colleges and the role of the Greek life as incorporated to university lifestyles. The place of the Greek life on college campuses has been highlighted in relation to the core aim of campus education and development strategies in the world. Before embarking on a discussion of real life in campus, it is worth taking a hint of the history of Greek life in college campus. In the first place, it is good to learn more of the origin of fraternal societies that are called Greek letters societies (Lewis, Clemens, 113). They are also called secret fraternal groups in which students in campus find formation and initiation to the full dose of campus life.
Fraternal societies have existed in Greek tradition for over 7000 years. For example in Egypt, some Greek cults were practiced since long ago, where fertility rites and moon were a center of worship in the community. In Rome and Greece, there existed myths about worship among the communities. Secrete societies have been operational since then up to today through the mid 18th century when the idea of group health insurance started to exist. Party formation for social comfort is an emergent feature of beliefs and the need for associations within societies. Change is inevitable by 1776, communities had gone through transitions that made them form associations like the free masons in America, for social benefits. In other words, the culture of rites of passage is as old as human race.
College life before revolutionary times involved teaching the rich how to write complete sentences in America for the purpose of becoming clergymen. This education was provided to fifteen year old youth. They were taught on how to recite prayers in Greek language as well as in Latin. By 1776, the faculty was keen to teach religion among the boys so as to convert them to church leaders (Shwartz, et al, 79). School was seen as a punishment to the youth since they were forced to wake up early and stay under watch by the faculty as they prayed all day long.
The formation of Phi Beta Kappa, a secret prayer group for the students in college was a great move towards the initiation of fellowship groups among college students. This prayer group operated secretly with its codes of ethics and regulation for members. Apart from prayers, there was the need to promote morality, discus freedom and political issues affecting college students as well as a close bond between members. This was translated later into fraternities and sororities in colleges in the U.S. Students would take oaths to ensure that they did not disclose the secrets of the fraternity that had been formed. Those who took the oath were issued with a medal that was later transformed into a key shape with letters SP engraved it to it. These letters stood for, Societies Philosophae, which was later on translated into Philosophical Society. The opposite side of the medal had a three star painting of human hand. The three stars represented a trio of the societies guiding principles which include friendship, morality and literature. Centrally placed were the three Greek words Phi, Beta, Kappa. These letters showed the fraternities group motto of Philosophy, the guide to life.
The Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) fraternity formed an idea to unite the rest of the 13 States of America through the extension of wisdom. The desire to unite the nations has made the formed fraternity to transcend boundaries of religions, politics and traditions thus promoting the Greek life style that is found in the universities in America today. Today, Greek students at campus are organized into fraternities or sorority groups in which they assist one another to grow in accordance to the expectations of both the Greek society and advance in knowledge. The fraternities are defined as student group for university male students while the sororities are associations for female students in the university. These groups are common in most universities of the west.
Studies show that those students who join fraternity or sororities have higher chances of completing their educational programmes at undergraduate level and even move further for masters as well as pursue leadership positions in their life after school. The importance of the sorority and fraternities are not to be overlooked. Fraternities promote academic excellence to those who join them. This is because most students in these groups are grouped according to their educational programs and level of study in which they can help one another academically. While in fraternity, students can become well formed leaders present and future leaders because they have leadership positions within the groups through which students leaders learn good leadership skills. In the fraternities, students can practice and develop the art of giving through community service programmes.
Fraternities are also called Greek houses because they are often identified by Greek letters. The affiliation of fraternities to Greek makes them be referred to as Greek letter fraternities. Majority of the students join these student groups when they join campus. Sororities on the other hand, are female student associations that help to bring the female students together to share common issues facing them in campus. Female students who join these groups share their feelings, strengths and weaknesses as well as advice one another in case of any problem. The main aim of the sorority is to promote leadership techniques, develop good personalities and motivate students towards academic excellence. Greek associations are therefore of importance to the entire student in campus since it is through them that their talents and leadership personalities can grow.
Most students join fraternities or sororities through a process called rush in which they go round trying to look for the best fraternity or sorority to join. This time, they may be introduced to many types of such associations and left with the choice to join either of them. It is important to know that during the rush process, students may be pulled by others of the same class to join the fraternities without a specific objective in the same. However, they find it good and beneficial after joining. Another process through which students join a sorority or fraternity is by means of bid. A student may receive an official invitation to join a certain fraternity or sorority. One may choose to ignore one or the other bid, but at least this is the high time that the student makes a choice to join an association of their own choice (CollegeView.com, n d).
After joining a sorority or fraternity, a student is given a grace period within which they learn the history of the particular group that they have joined. At this time, the new student makes the decision on whether to continue being a member of the group or to change course. If they decide to change to another fraternity, then they are allowed to do so. If they chose to join the present fraternity or sorority, then they are fully registered. They become active members of the group. The period within which the student learns the history and customs of a fraternity or a sorority, just before their full membership is called pledging period. During this period, some cultural practices are taught and integrated to the students way of life (Ernest, 25). Students are introduced to certain rituals. They bond with old members brothers or sisters, as they call each other in the groups. Students are advised to not to rush so as to make the right choice for themselves. At least, they should spend the first year in college pledging so that they can get the best friends who will take them through the process of membership and introduction to other brothers or sisters in the association.
It is advisable that the first year students take into consideration their time management strategies before consuming all their study time in pledges and fail in their exams. It is true to say that most first year student have been lost in the rush process so that they were unable to balance between class work and associations ending up with devastating results. In order for one to be able to balance between associations and life in the campus, they need to explore more options rather than just classes work and the friends they meet at the fraternity or sorority. In most cases, boys and girls have found themselves in trouble especially when it comes to rituals and involvement i to drugs or emotional activities found within the associations. It can be a painful experience for students who indulge in sexual misconduct after which they are unable to control their situation and new position in the society. Therefore, it is advisable for students to be careful in identifying the best activities that promote Greek culture of humanity and holiness within the association. Religious affiliations can assist student to take control of their lives while at college and avoid frustrations that may result from hazing found in the Greek system in sororities and fraternities.
According to researches, most national leaders, civic, organizational activist, presidents, senators, Supreme Court judges and congress members in the United States of America were once members of either a sorority or a fraternity. This is to show that fraternities and sororities promote leadership skill among their members during their study years. It is a source of empowerment to the national leadership within the U.S and European countries.
Long life relationships are formed through the associations because majority of the friendships formed have been found to last even after college. Fraternities and sororities form strong networks to coordinate members after school in job search, exercise and scholarship provision. Leadership roles of students as developed by fraternities and sorority are as a result of large international forums and seminars held at different university across the Unites States of America, United Kingdom and Canada. These seminars and workshops help to open up chances and wider opportunities for students to make presentations and get acquaintances from different states. These people are able to assist students to higher places in political life and general development. Each individual chapter of the fraternity or sorority contains many leadership positions into which different interested member students could be slotted to develop their leadership strengths.
In addition to leadership development, members of sororities and fraternities train to be servants of the community within which they live. They hold fund rising activities to collect and donate money to help the needy people of the society. They are involved in philanthropic events on a yearly basis. Donations are offered to community base programmes like the Adopt A- School for the benefit of the community. Community service events are not to be left behind. During the community service events, the members take their time to move into the community and offer necessary assistance like town cleaning, visiting the poor and the sick in hospital for consolation.
As mentioned earlier, to join a social group of ones choice especially fraternity or sorority is advantageous in forming strong social interaction. This is so because the mix of different personalities of different backgrounds, different destinations and goals expose a student to great satisfaction and build up of self -esteem. Academic achievement is not only found in classroom. It can also be obtained it the fraternities and sorority. Scholarships are availed to members of these associations through the different chapters of the organizations. This is part of academic excellence promotion for the students which does not only promote individual interest but also promoting the group as a whole. The availability of scholarships through the associations is in itself a motivation to academic performance which is the ultimate goal of most or all learning institutions. The provision of awards and incentives through sororities and fraternities encourage Greek community to perform in academics.
Fraternity and sorority financial support is obtained from members contributions during registration and charitable contributions. In reality, the associations are self- sponsored. New members usually have a stipulated registration fee for each chapter while continuing members have some allocated dues that they settle on occasional agreed time line. Each chapter also has additional cost that may differ from one to the other depending on the type of activities they are involved in at different times of the year. Contributions collected from members are well organized and transparently used to run the groups activities to the satisfaction of members.
Most of the expenses are incurred in hosting national and international forums. The good news is that most fraternities and sororities are large enough to cater for the cost of operations of the associations so members do not have to contribute every now and then towards an up coming minor issue. Some of the fraternities and sorority associations have a well laid down plan on how members settle their dues (Howard, 1998, 31). Each group has stipulated rules and regulations that govern operations related to it. Sorority and fraternity life at campus is based on the principle of freedom of the expression of fundamental rights of individual in which students are free to associate with others at different times and environment so long as they do not interfere with others freedom. Generally, fraternities and sorority associations are founded and exist in campus because they are good and offer quality service to members. For example, they provide quality and valuable autonomous collective experiences to members.
Also, fraternities and sororities satisfy the desire of humans to belong to a group or to belong together which is left unfulfilled in many other avenues of life. These associations are good in the sense that they add value to a persons life in and after college. Personality build up is fully achieved through the interactions provided in the societies. Another benefit of these associations is that they create a never ending loop of services that are not only available upon membership but are also effective in the long run. Through these groups, leaders are generated to lead not only within the school years but also in the life after. Most political arenas are led by significant figures of the sororities and fraternities.
The choice of membership to a fraternity or sorority is personal but majority of the students are encouraged to join so as to be fully formed during their school life. They gain wide social experiences through which they learn and advance as leaders. Since young people are energetic and have a craving to belonging, they are able to propagate the development and existence of fraternities. College administrations have acknowledged the presence of fraternities and sorority in the universities and offer full support to such groups.
Finally it is worth concluding that Greek life takes a wonderful place in college campuses today. This is due to the appreciation of the fraternities and sororities which are of Greek origin. The traditions and morality found within the associations are worth credit because they offer moral development of the society as offered by the norms and traditions of Greek. The desire to worship, the desire to belong that fills the void between humanity and religion is encompassed in the Greek traditions that were used in the formation of fraternities and sororities in the United States of America. The art of giving takes precedence in sorority and fraternity thus acknowledging the culture of the Greek as is practiced in colleges. Mutual benefit obtained by members of fraternities and sororities is part of Greek culture within the campuses. Therefore, the place of Greek life in campus is the forefront because the higher learning institutions aim at the development of a well formed student in both leadership and academics among other features like stature and personality, which are the core aims and results of the Greek letter societies in campus. Students can be encouraged to join the Greek letter societies if they would like to embraces development and academic excellence.
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