5. Dues Some people think the money we pay to our chapter is so that we can “buy” our friends (or alcohol), but we really know that it all goes towards philanthropy events, homecoming, paraphernalia, the chapter house (if you have one), and so much more! Dues are important in helping a chapter run smoothly and in making sure that the members aren’t spending way more money than they need to each semester.
4. Greek Week While toga is totally fun, that’s not all there is to Greek Week! It’s about team bonding and having fun! Greek Week is a week long event for every fraternity and sorority on campus to participate in. There are tons of different elements that go into it such as various sporting events (dodgeball, volleyball etc.) and various events that require creativity. The creative events at Hofstra University, for example, include Toga (each organization designs their own toga costume so they look uniform and a small group of members from each org. must perform a dance routine) and Can Castle Building which is when each Greek organization collects canned goods then uses the canned goods to create a design. At Hofstra the end of the Greek Week means that the canned goods collected for can castle building are then donated to The INN which is a non-profit located in Hempstead, NY that provides food for the less fortunate.
3. Socials/Mixers It’s not all about beer pong and drinking all night. Many people will point out that networking is the key to getting ahead in life and Greek Life provides the perfect opportunity for you to network. Socials and mixers are a great opportunity for you to make friends with people from other organizations who might be able to help you with your career later in life. Not only could you network with current members, but you may also be able to get in contact with alumni who can help you as well.
2. Formal They’re so much better than prom! Formals are a chance for you and your brothers/sisters to have fun and celebrate each other. You made it through another great semester and formal is just another way to celebrate that! Some organizations even present superlatives at formal which then gives you a chance to be recognized (and recognize others) for your great effort each semester. It’s a way for your organization to come together as a family and let’s face it, it’s jut really fun to get dressed up once in a while!
1. Bigs & Littles Trying to sum up a Big/Little relationship into a simple explanation is not easy because Bigs are so much more than just a mentor! Your Big is the person who’s there with you through it all. They help you figure out what it means to be a member of your organization. A Big helps you out at your first social/mixer. A Big helps you when you’re stressed because of classes or your love life or anything really. Your Big is your best friend. You never imagined coming to college and bonding with someone so quickly, but then you met your Big and realized that you were made for each other. There’s no bond quite like that of a Big and Little, but you know that it’s one of the greatest friendships you’ll have for the rest of your life.
