At a dinner party over interim a family friend asked me, "So what do people in fraternities do, other than drink?" Had I been asked that question my freshman year, or even sophomore year pre-rush, I wouldn't have had an answer. Luckily, I had something to say.
It's inevitable that around this time of year, a fellow opinion columnist feels compelled to write a column lambasting the Greek system or extolling the unaffiliated life in hopes of dissuading sophomores (or convincing freshman) to not rush a house. "Stay strong," the columns read, "don't conform." Staff Columnist Sam Buntz '11 took the bait this year ("Our First Frat," Sept. 15), and, although tactfully written and respectful of Greek life, his column fell prey to the same problem as columnists of previous years: it's easy to assume you're better off when you don't know what you're missing. Buntz writes, "If you want to [rush a frat], fine. Go with the flow enjoy your wacky vomiting contests and fun, clothing-and-appearance-based sorority rush gauntlets. That's life: a basement floor slick with piss, beer, grime and camaraderie.'" It's this sort of unidimensional understanding about Greek life that might explain why only 65 percent and not 100 percent of eligible Dartmouth students are affiliated with a Greek organization. The biggest problem with rush is that freshman and pre-rush sophomores see only one part of fraternity and sorority life. They see the subterranean side of things: mountains of 30-racks, messy basements, inebriated brothers cannonballing onto pong tables from elevated surfaces. And it's fair to assume that if you stand around one tree long enough, you can get a pretty good sense of the forest. But when it comes to Greek life, nothing could be further from the truth. What critics of the Greek system turn a blind eye to, whether out of ignorance or purposeful neglect, are the countless other activities in which Greek houses and their members are participating. You never hear a critic talk about the SEAD barbeque Alpha Delta hosted over the summer, at which brothers spent an afternoon with low-income students in the SEAD program. You don't hear about the successful recycling program SAE initiated, or the Alpha Phi Red Dress Gala, or the Greek System's response to the Haiti earthquake earlier this year.
These philanthropic, community-strengthening activities are as much, if not more, a part of Greek life at Dartmouth as the partying. And while these formal events are important, they don't even begin to scratch the surface of what Greek life has to offer. What is most memorable about my time in Greek life is the informal fun: the impromptu 10X afternoons on the porch, all-night study sessions with my brothers, and the bitter taste of defeat as Gamma Delta Chi pulled ahead of Psi Upsilon in the Field Stock Chariot Race. This is hardly the image of Greek life most sophomores have going into rush, but it's what countless alumni and upperclassmen think about when they hear the term "Greek life." The Greek system is not flawless. As the recent Alumni Association report indicates ("Alumni report addresses issues in Greek system," Sept. 27), many of the houses are not adequately maintained, and male-dominated social spaces continue to be a contributing factor to uneasy gender dynamics on campus. Binge drinking continues to plague our campus, and sexual assaults, both reported and unreported, occur in the Greek houses. But convincing freshman and sophomores not to join the Greek system will not cure these ills. Rather, we must encourage socially conscious underclassmen leaders that these problems are not so entrenched that they cannot be solved with creative willpower.
So with little over a week until official rush kicks off, I hope that you'll take a fresh look at Greek life. I admit that Greek life is not for everyone, but I also believe that Greek life has a lot more to offer than most people think. If you're on the fence, I encourage you to go for it. You have little to lose and a lot to gain. It might just turn out to be the most transformative experience of your Dartmouth life.
