How did you learn about Greek life?

[Dionysus]

Someone mentioned in another thread that some people lack discretion because they have no experience with the Greek system. It makes a lot of sense. More than 90% of my Greek knowledge comes from GC.

I don't see how it is even possible to learn about how the Greek system works without reading posts on Greek Chat. Obviously, people DO learn in other ways. There's many people I know in real life who knows a lot about being Greek, but has never visited GC. Then there's people who became Greek way before the internet even existed.

For those who gained most of their knowledge without GC, how did you find it? Are there books out there that some of us don't know about? Websites? Direct observations?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Someone mentioned in another thread that some people lack discretion because they have no experience with the Greek system. It makes a lot of sense. More than 90% of my Greek knowledge comes from GC.

I don't see how it is even possible to learn about how the Greek system works without reading posts on Greek Chat. Obviously, people DO learn in other ways. There's many people I know in real life who knows a lot about being Greek, but has never visited GC. Then there's people who became Greek way before the internet even existed.

For those who gained most of their knowledge without GC, how did you find it? Are there books out there that some of us don't know about? Websites? Direct observations?

Well being as my expereince came long before the internet became public kowledge you had to find books and you had direct observation.

I learned some of what I wound up learing about Greek life from friends and associates who were already Greeks.

The internet did some good and bad for Greeks.

It put information out there that people could easily access to find out about whatever they wanted to find about the particular org. they were interested in.

To a point, however, I sometimes feel that with so much of the knowledge dispensed, some people aren't "earning" the knowledge that they need and then there is a question sometimes about how much is too much or too little that should be public knowledge.

On the flip, some of the easiest answer needed can be found via a simple google search.

[33girl]

Before college, I think I had read a couple magazine articles that talked about Greek life. When I got to college, we had deferred rush and I lived in a very Greek dorm so I learned a lot.

I don't think it's so much not having GC to learn from, it's being overly bold in any situation that you don't know about. I would have never walked up to a sorority member and said "I'm going to pledge you!" As much of a dork as my freshman year boyfriend was, I was kind of lucky that I had someone older (he was a senior) to help me out, because I was clueless.

[ForeverRoses]

What little I knew about rush came from my older sister who is in a sorority. She learned about greek life from her freshman roomate. A neighbor of my parents did tell me about greek life at Ohio State back in the early 1970s, but most of her stories were about sneaking in and out her boyfriend (now husband) to the house. I rushed as a sophomore so I did have a year on campus to learn a little more,

I do remember a dormmate of mine showing me the NPHC group she wanted to join and I remember questioning how she new before she even met the other groups. All she ever told me was that "she just knew". And she did join them, but it wasnted until GC that I understood a little more about the process.

[AlethiaSi]

I didn't know much about sororities, no one in my family was greek, and I was really basically the 3rd person to go to college (in my semi-immediate family) and my school isn't overly greek to others on the outside. My friend who lived a floor below me decided that she wanted to new member a certain org and was semi-courted by them because her older brother went to cornell (I forget what org he was in there) and his gf went to my school and was in that org. She went to drop off her bid card and BEGGED 3 of us to go with her.
Eventually, I ended up at Nu Sig...

So, I guess I figured out greek life through trial and error and personal experience. I would say that this is due to the small greek community on my campus.

I have learned about national orgs, etc through GC though, much of I still don't understand! lol

[KSUViolet06]

I learned about Greek Life in general via my mom and stepdad who are NPHC group members. When I started looking a colleges, they promoted sororities as a way to get involved in school and make friends.

[Kevin]

My parents were both in GLOs.

My grandfather and step-grandfather were also. I have a Cousin who is a FIJI.

I didn't actually intend on joining until a coworker talked me into it.

[Leslie Anne]

Since it was pre-internet, I really didn't know much of anything about Greek Life until I was in a sorority. I just learned as I went along.

Back then a book came out, "From Here to Fraternity," that, despite perpetuating the stereotypes, was really very informative...and funny. I just took a look at my old copy. Some info is outdated but for being over 20 years old the book is still pretty dead-on.

For all the resources that are out there these days, I'm always surprised to find so many people who just don't have a clue. It's okay not to know but it seems like most people just ask questions first before doing any reading.

[rhoyaltempest]

The internet wasn't popular yet when I was in school and organizations didn't have websites so the way I learned about greek life was by observing the members on my college campus and attending their events.

Today there are just so many resources out there that there really is no excuse for being lazy and not doing the research that people should be happy to do if they are truly interested. In addition to the internet, there are even books available that were not available years ago.

If you are especially interested in the NPHC orgs, I suggest reading "The Divine Nine" by Lawrence C. Ross Jr. for an introduction to each NPHC organization and more importantly "African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision" by Tamara L. Brown (and others). This book provides in depth insight into the world of BGLO's and provides great historical references regarding all GLO's in America. Both books can be purchased at amazon.com.

[Tom Earp]

Not a thing until I got to college.

But, it was the GLOs who did the most and were the most envolved on campus.

[Velocity_14]

Well, neither of my parents are greek but my father is a Mason and I have an uncle who is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. Watching my dad alone was a lot to take in. But, for me, I knew early what I wanted to do and fortunately, there were people who crossed my path that really mentored me and groomed me so by the time I got to college, I had a pretty good understanding of discretion. Also, observing the greek system at my college campus and the friends I made along the way really helped too.

It is just interesting how now there is so much information available and people still choose to be lazy. My roommate being one of those people and I am trying so hard not to go off on her but I have had to put her in her place a few times and she still doesn't get it. I have noticed, especially on GC, that some of these potentials feel some type of entitlement...like we are suppose to tell them whatever they want to know whether they need to know it right now or not....I don't know...I am real ill on my roommate right now so I will just stop here before I say something real crazy!

[kathykd2005]

I learned about Greek life through my older brother (he is ten years older than me), who was in a local that has since been dissolved at his school. He, along with my sister-in-law, who was also in a sorority, encouraged me to pledge basically throughout my entire life. Because he was in local, though, it was a bit different for me when I pledged an NPC, because I had certain preconceived notions about sororities and fraternities which weren't true, at least for the ones I encountered. I grew up at my brother's college, going to fraternity events and actually visiting his house, as well as my sister-in-law's. Alethia Si, I believe my brother and sister-in-law went to your college.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by Velocity_14

Well, neither of my parents are greek but my father is a Mason and I have an uncle who is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. Watching my dad alone was a lot to take in. But, for me, I knew early what I wanted to do and fortunately, there were people who crossed my path that really mentored me and groomed me so by the time I got to college, I had a pretty good understanding of discretion. Also, observing the greek system at my college campus and the friends I made along the way really helped too.

It is just interesting how now there is so much information available and people still choose to be lazy. My roommate being one of those people and I am trying so hard not to go off on her but I have had to put her in her place a few times and she still doesn't get it. I have noticed, especially on GC, that some of these potentials feel some type of entitlement...like we are suppose to tell them whatever they want to know whether they need to know it right now or not....I don't know...I am real ill on my roommate right now so I will just stop here before I say something real crazy!

I don't want to sound too old (I'm 30+) but I'm noticing that many of the young people today feel a sense of entitlement about everything. This goes back to poor parenting and not preparing children for the world. It's sad but many are in for a rude awakening in many areas of life.

[bomchikawawa]

from looking into colleges to attend, GC of course and GREEK the show hahaha

[icicle22]

Originally Posted by bomchikawawa

from looking into colleges to attend, GC of course and GREEK the show hahaha

GREEK is a rather good show, actually.