Letโs walk away from the beer-guzzling mayhem of Animal House and the jarring sexual nervousness of American Pie. Donโt get me wrong. Those classics are as lovable as they are laughable, inspiring following generations long after their release dates, enlightening paths of raging alcoholism and explicit nudity amongst a catapult of unforgettable stories. But whatโs Greek Life really about? Switch off your douche-bag-detectors and gather around, Golden Hawks โ Iโm about to expose one of the best decisions Iโve made in my university career.
When entering first-year, I had no intention of joining a frat. I didnโt know much about them and was mostly unaware of their existence in Canada. Also, getting hammered and meeting friends seemed like an inevitability that didnโt need to be paid for in advance.
Well, it wasnโt long until I received my โbidโ โ an invitation into a fraternity recruitment program. Pledging was a foreign concept and sounded awfully similar to some ceremonial cult ritual to praise the Devil. Iโve seen Old School โ if these guys were planning on bringing a rope and brick anywhere near me, Iโd take a hard pass and run far, far away.
But I was in for a pleasant surprise.
Pledging and later becoming a brother busted open countless doors to enriching experiences, motivating me to be a better student, inspiring community leadership and forging some incredible bonds throughout the student bodyโno bricks and rope required.
Grab some tissues folks. Iโm about to get emotional.
The best problem a man could encounter is having too many โbest menโ to choose from. In my fraternity, I met guys that will stay with me for the rest of my life, guys I know will be roasting my ass with a wine glass in hand as I sit next to my newly-wed-wife and lower my head in exasperating embarrassment. These are the guys thatโll be there for the lows and highs, who Iโll travel with, talk about our kids with and eventually sit around arguing about retirement plans when weโre wrinkled old farts with a lifetime of stories up our sleeves. Theyโll be my brothers long after undergrad.
But what separates fraternity brothers and sorority sisters from any other group of friends youโll bond with? What difference does Greek Life make at Wilfrid Laurier University and beyond? Hereโs what many other representatives have to say about it.
โMy icebreaker was actually in a frat and he encouraged me to check out all the other fraternities,โ said Pi Kappa Alphaโs chapter president, Xavier Prosper, going into his fourth-year at Laurier.
โThey started talking to me about the more professional side of things. How they give back to the community and help in terms of personal development.โ
Now Prosper is currently an icebreaker himself, hoping to inspire the same impactful perspective within younger students.
โPart of your academic success will be based on being properly integrated in different social groups. I want to show where they can participate in the school. I want to help them find somewhere they can belong and allow them to give back to the community.โ
Beyond the networking, philanthropy and community involvement, building bonds is the most important aspect of joining a Greek Life organization.
โI met my best friend in my pledge class. Weโve been very close since,โ Prosper said. โA lot of people always assume that we came from high school together, but we met through the frat and bonded right away.โ
Similarly, I met one of my own best friends through pledging my fraternity. Thanks to a memorable assortment of fraternal shenanigans, weโve become inseparable. People always assume weโve known each other for years priorโI guess thatโs just part of the brotherly charm.
Prosper later mentioned that he and his fraternity brothers actively volunteer with the National Service Dogs of Canada โ just one of many ways they give back to the community.
โI always thought that it was the typical American film where all the girls had to look perfect all the time and there was hazing and girls were catty,โ said Rachel Coombs, chapter president of Alpha Phi, going into her fourth-year at Laurier.
โOnce I did come to Laurier I found out that Greek Life is very different from that. Everyone in Greek Life is very passionate about community service and philanthropy. It was just a group of girls that wanted to do good and have fun together.โ
Alpha Phi organizes a Red Dress Gala every year, where all proceeds go towards Womenโs Heart Health.
Coombs went on to further explain how her sisterhood also guided her towards campus involvement and accepting new experiences with open arms.
โIโm speechless when I think of the friendships I made. Theyโre real, theyโre genuine, they care for you. A couple of these best friends I know Iโll live with in the future, theyโll be my future bridesmaids.โ
Now, Iโm not trying to bombard you with a high-voltage blast of Greek propaganda that promises youโll find your bridesmaids and best men. Iโm just saying, a lot of us feel similar about the relationships weโve built.
I asked her what sheโd say to an incoming first-year, on the fence about going Greek.
โTry it out. It doesnโt hurt to go to recruitment events and see what that organization is truly about. Maybe one of their values will click with you. Or youโll meet someone you want to get to know more. Iโd say just go for it.โ
โWithin Greek Life, obviously we have philanthropy work and getting involved in charities around the community and beyond, but we also let each other know about opportunities,โ said Sarah Tyler, chapter president of Alpha Omega.
โPersonally, I got involved with being a campus ambassador because I had a sister who was a campus ambassador before me. She got me the resources I needed in being successful while applying to that job.โ
Tyler later explained to me that Alpha Omegaโs main philanthropy initiative is Anselma House, a women and childrenโs shelter in Kitchener, supporting survivors of domestic violence and abuse. One of the events they hold to raise funds is their Guilty Pleasures All-You-Can-Eat Bake Sale each semester.
โIf Greek Life didnโt exist, and if people in Greek Life werenโt as passionate as they are, the community would suffer,โ said Micahel Pinchin, chapter president of Zeta Psi.
โThere could be other clubs that try and accomplish the same goals, but no one could do it as good as Greek Life. Thatโs because of the depth behind our intentions. Thereโs certain ideals that weโre sworn to.โ
He mentioned that all of us are so much more than school clubs. Weโre brothers and sisters sworn to matching ideals of leadership, with some organizations carrying international histories going back over a hundred years.
This massive network, with numerous chapters expanding throughout the globe, also leads to countless connections in professional fields.
Despite mainstream misconceptions of opposing frats and sororities being innately sworn to hateful rivalry, the massive collaboration between our four fraternities and two sororities recognized on campus allows the ultimate impact to be made. Collectively we make the biggest difference.
โYou just want to see everyone succeed and do well, and we want to help our brothers,โ said chapter president of Sigma Chi and fourth-year business student, Louis Pfeifer.
โThrough that you get these incredible bonds. A lot of normal campus clubs donโt really have that closeness and strive to help each other succeed. Not even just success, but being happy. If youโre depressed, weโre there for you.โ
โWe really encourage guys to be leaders, not just in the fraternity but on campus and in the community. Thatโs something that we try to foster.โ
One of Sigma Chiโs yearly initiatives is a Cancer walk to raise money towards the Hudson Cancer Foundation.
Each member of each organization pays โduesโ โ a pool of money going towards events and experiences. Much like a bunch of buddies pooling money together for a big road trip, a fraternity is no different. Without the change for gas, the tires just canโt hit the road.
My brothers and I at Alpha Epsilon Pi hold a yearly โMan Service Auctionโ to raise money for Grand River Hospital. Services entail carrying your books, washing your car, cooking you a meal or taking you out on a date . Yes, some of us are single.
These boys are my intramural team, my workout buddies, my study partners, my housemates and my hooligan friends hoping to get the best out of our undergrad experience.
Iโm not denying that the stereotypes of degenerate fraternity boys and snobby sorority girls arenโt real in some parts of North America โ I follow Total Frat Move in bewildered amazement. But I know theyโre not here at Laurier.
And you donโt need to rid your wardrobe of anything that isnโt polo shirts and tacky pants, either.
The diversity of each organization is open to students from all walks of life. No matter where you come from, where you stand financially, your ethnicity or sexual orientation, Greek Life will gladly open our arms in acceptance. Regardless of our letters, being fellow Golden Hawks is the fuel to our unity.
Do we party? Absolutely. But in contrast to organizations outside of Waterloo that have been penalized for excessive alcoholism or hazing, itโs important to realize that times have changed. A group of students coming together to make a difference will always be more powerful than racking in keg-stand scores and being victorious in a rampant battle of flip cup. But I do hold some records in that regard, too.
I knowโฆso frat, bro.
When young minds, thirsty for change, come together through diversity, community involvement and everlasting friendships, the results are undeniably beneficial.
Whether or not Greek Life is right for you, getting involved on campus while meeting people who will unconditionally stay by your side will make your time at Laurier an experience to remember.
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