Foam pouring out of fraternity parties. Girls getting soaked in water to compete in a “wet t-shirt contest.” Taking shots of tequila with live goldfish. These are the images that come to mind of so many people who have not experienced Greek Life in its entirety.
When talking to a college student from a Namibian university about his perception of Greek Life, it was brought up that only the craziest parts are what he hears and sees. “I usually only see the wilder side of fraternities and sororities,” said Bradwyn Paulse. These images come from media such as television, movies, and social media exploitation of extreme cases.
Movies such as Neighbors and Animal House aid this perception of recklessness among college campuses and tie it directly into Greek life. They promote false stereotypes and generalizations giving Greek Life as a whole a bad reputation. One current college student, Athena LaJeunesse, spoke about the impact of movies. “They make Greek Life look awful and most of what is shown isn’t even true. They overdramatize college life and ruin the reputation for students who are affiliated,” said LaJeunesse. This exploitation of frat boys and cliquey sorority girls mixed with an inaccurate representation of wild parties, drug use, and hazing leave a permanent image in the minds of so many people across the globe.
One proponent of this wide-spread perception is Barstool Sports. A social media campaign that promotes the latest pop culture and viral highlights. It focuses mainly on the stupidity of drunk college students affiliated in Greek life. It exploits dangerous behavior such as eating tide pods, cracking a beer can with your skull, and jumping onto a table from a roof or balcony to break it in half. Students often comment on the impact of Barstool Sports. “(The organization) promotes drinking and doing stupid things,” said LaJeunesse. This growing feed of irresponsible action is forming the perception of many people. It is idealizing a dangerous set of behaviors that are unattainable, unfavorable, and should be socially unacceptable.
However, not all schools center their Greek life toward parties, shenanigans, and insanity. Greek Life started in the 1770’s in competition with secret societies on college campuses. It was intended to provide a prestigious academic environment and has been molded into a much more encompassing concept over many years. Now, the intentions of Greek chapters across the states stem from social, academic, and societal prosper.
“My parents wouldn’t let me join a fraternity because they didn’t understand that it wasn’t like what they saw in movies,” said one student when asked why they decided not to go Greek. Many students, upon coming to campus, were unaware of the benefits and opportunities Greek Life can provide. They simply were turned off by the idea they created in their head, or the idea so many of their relatives and friends hold onto. That is one reason why schools such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute does everything in its power to remove this perception and replace it with the actual intentions of Greek Life on campus.
At WPI, the focus with Greek Life is making the campus inclusive and active in the community. Chapters complete several community service and philanthropy events that align with their values and make the Worcester community a more hospitable place. They are involved in galas supporting heart health as well as mentoring programs at local schools. The involvement touches nearly every possible aspect of daily life and provides a plethora of opportunities for growth and collaboration.
Beyond the service aspect of Greek Life, there is a strong social environment. With mixed events with other affiliated and non-affiliated members of campus and the surrounding community, there is never a dull moment in the lives of WPI students. Each event has a purpose to bring students together while also abiding by the many rules and regulations of the university. Every activity is carefully planned out so as not to offend or endanger any of the participants. Each of these precautions, is the result of a miscellaneous encounter or prior event that took a turn for the worst on our campus or another. Therefore, all the insanity portrayed in media is not only impractical but also implausible considering there are now precautions preventing such events from occurring.
There is so much room for growth to remove the stigma regarding Greek Life. And this growth is evident, especially on WPI’s campus. When researching Greek Life throughout America, WPI is almost always on the top five schools for “Doing Greek Life Right.” With clear values and wholesome intentions, paired with anti-hazing policies and regulations, the Greek community is one of the most welcoming communities on campus.
Additionally, other countries are taking over the idea of Greek Life and adapting it to their cultures. “Greek Life is meant to be a facility for any social activity. In South Africa, there are hostels that are just a place where it’s easier to socialize with peers especially for people studying away from home, which is most likely the case,” said Paulse.
