It’s easy to stereotype Dartmouth — a school with a large percentage of students from high-income households — as an institution dominated by well-prepared students from elite backgrounds. Many may appear to already be well-adjusted to collegiate social life when they arrive. Our school, however, has a diverse student body, and there are also a significant number of students to whom this stereotype does not apply. The Greek system doesn’t lack diversity and abounds in exclusivity, I argue that the openness and loyalty in Greek houses create an environment that helps students build social and personal confidence, regardless of their background.
For many, a major barrier to pleasant social interaction is a lack of comfort or perceived acceptance around those with whom you are interacting — which can affect any student. Social events dominated by specific groups that share something in common — such as people who are all members of a particular club — can cause a sense of alienation or exclusion for somebody who isn’t a part of the in-group. In contrast, social events and situations that are predicated on a come-one, come-all basis don’t necessarily suffer from this problem, as anyone can participate.
Open social events organized by the Greek system — which I define here as public events announced through the campus Listserv — fit exactly these sort of criteria. Unlike the typical invite-only Greek parties at many schools, almost any student can attend a Greek event that had a public blitz invitation, provided that there’s no capacity issue. In many ways, open Greek parties at Dartmouth are like bar scenes — most people can get a drink and a fair chance to meet new people.
Granted, like bars, some people will benefit from this type of open social scene more than others — be that due to physical appearance, personality or membership in certain friend groups. For somebody who isn’t as connected or prepared socially, however, this sort of event offers an opportunity to talk to new people and become better adjusted at navigating a social space.
The same goes for the Greek organizations themselves, which aren’t organized around any particular common interest. While some houses may draw many of their members from specific athletic teams or groups on campus, this pattern is by no means the rule. For the most part, Greek organizations are based on loyalty and a shared house identity. Regardless of your personal background or interests, you’re a member of the house as much as anybody else is from the day you join, given Dartmouth’s elimination of probationary membership, nominal as it may be.
That being said, many Greek organizations are selective in their membership — not everyone has the chance to fit in everywhere, and not all those who rush will get a bid. Within fraternities, sororities and coed houses, however, there is a distinct and unparalleled bond that is forged through group loyalty. You know that you will be accepted because you are a member and for no other reason. This sort of environment allows members of any background to feel comfortable about being themselves, to speak honestly and to develop into whoever they want to be, which naturally builds their self-confidence.
As former Brown University fraternity brother Sam Rosen wrote in an Oct. 23 column for New York Magazine, his fraternity brother Chris “was receptive to the story of my mom’s coming out… because I was his fraternity brother and he wanted to have my back.” Furthermore, his fraternity environment let men “feel comfortable setting aside all the ridiculous alpha-male expectations and figure out who they actually wanted to be.”
This isn’t to say that the environments Greek systems create for their members are totally denuded of social expectations — those expectations remain, in ways that are both good and bad. Yet even within these confines, the open Greek social scene at Dartmouth offers almost anyone who wants to participate the chance to develop socially — not just the jocks or the well connected. Open parties provide all students with a space to refine their social skills, even those who aren’t affiliated. For students who do choose to rush, Greek houses present a special environment for personal development because they offer a supportive atmosphere — one that is extended to any and every member.
