Fraternity and sorority life as a major institution at most universities across the United States. With their expectations of fun and friendship, I thought that it was going to be a bunch of, like sports heads and um drinking. So I kind of joined it just to make friends,
I thought it was a bunch of people who didn’t care about the community or just wanted to party and drink and just do whatever party culture does. It is no secret why Greek life remains popular amongst college students. In this documentary, we aim to explore the lesser known facets of fraternity
And sorority life and show the experiences of students who participate in it. Through conversations of lifelong connections, philanthropy and academic support systems, We delve into how these communities foster a sense of belonging among members and make a positive impacts on the lives and personal philosophies of their members.
I didn’t know anybody here at all, which is like, really, really intimidating. And I had heard that FSL life was kind of a good way to get to know people and get more involved And so I was like, sure, like, I’ll go through it, whatever.
I wasn’t really expecting like a whole whole lot out of it, but it’s like transformed my experience, which is really cool. one of my, one of my buddies got me out to the virtual virtual fraternity fraternity recruitment. And I just ended up on Zoom calls is talking
With a bunch of the Sigma Phi Epsilon guys, a lot of the upperclassmen. yeah, just like meeting all the other guys. Ultimately it came down to the people for me. When I was rushing, all the other houses seemed a bit.. like there was always a few people who were interested in me.
But TKE was the one where everyone was interested in me and everyone had like something in common with me where we could have a chat about it. Like it’s just where I fit in best. I guess you could say. So at first, when I came to campus,
I wasn’t looking to join a fraternity at all. I was really anti fraternity, which is weird to say now. Cause.. IFC president now. But what drew me in and why I joined was the connections and the people. So I just started talking to bunch of fraternity members in spring semester, around campus.
And whenever I would see them and really get to know them and see what it what the fraternity can bring what really just drew me in was the connections and the people and the connections you’d make after college. we have a bunch of people that go through rush
And that decide at the end of the day they’re like, Oh, it’s not for me, but they come out with a different perspective on fraternities. Many fraternity and sorority members have a passion for philanthropy and put on events throughout the school year to raise money and awareness for issues important to their cause.
All our philanthropy events that we do Getting to see the impact that that money has on people is really special. The diversity, equity, and inclusion events that the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council put on. I think a lot of the the programs that we put on
And the people that go to it get really, really good information out of it. And it’s a good learning experience for everyone. I did a men’s mental health event very differently than any other men’s mental health event that’s been done at this campus.
So I opened up about my my mental health to a crowd full of like a room full of people. But that one really just showed how. I mean, I care about the community and plus the community cares about everyone in it because I had so much more people
After that event come up to me and tell me about their mental health, mostly men. And it’s awesome because that’s what I wanted with the event. To start the conversation of mental health. If I can’t go to something because I have a lot of schoolwork, they’re normally super understanding of that.
But I just always make sure to do my academics before I go to an event And the director of academics in Alpha Phi is actually my roommate, and so that’s been really helpful. She plans academic events for all of us where we’ll just get together and study together.
And so they actually kind of go hand in hand. Academics and Greek life, which is really nice. It’s a little hard because, you know, you have a bunch of positions that you’re passionate about and you want to put your main focus on it.
But you always gotta remember you’re here for school and school’s first. Yes, I am passionate about my community and passionate about the work I’m doing here. But I also have to focus on the school side. Especially in my chapter, we have an average of 3.56 GPA for all our members.
And it really comes down to like studying with studying with a group members of your chapter or members of other chapters. Yeah, I think, I think we’re a lot more studious than people make us out to be. I think it’s those preconceived notions that we’re that we’re all about,
Like Animal House, especially for the fraternities. The Animal House stereotype. I can’t tell you how many potential new members that we’ve had where we had to like essentially dismantle the whole stereotype of what a fraternity is because, pop culture gets it wrong so frequently.
A lot of people assume that it’s super cliquey Overall, I think FSL life really, really strives to not just stick in their bubble Almost every single person in my chapter with a leadership role also has a leadership role somewhere else on campus.
Movie you saw growing up about a fraternity was just all those party culture type stuff. Like I’ve met so many passionate in this FSL community Not only in fraternities but also in sororities They give up so much time and effort into their roles.
I think that’s what people get wrong all the time. That… we don’t care and we just wanna party and drink. But, we do care. The people in my fraternity either hold multiple positions because they care so much about the house or they don’t carry any because they know
Someone else can do a better job in that position than they can. But they still are there to help the people are kind of the best. it brings a whole new vibe and connection to college that you that you didn’t have before.
I think the best part is like how encouraging everyone is of each other. No matter what chapter you’re in. I feel like people support each other regardless of the letters that you wear on your shirt. that’s just like a really nice thing to have. college is very stressful and having a place
We can let it all out is very necessary. We I came in, I came into college and I didn’t really have any, like close, close friends to come to. ultimately what it means now is that support system of of people that I can go
To any time of day, whether it’s something fun, whether it’s something hard, I can come to them with anything. And yeah, it’s really been beneficial It’s ultimately more about the brotherhood aspect of it. all the guys here I could lay a heavy secret on and trust enough
That they would never say it to another person. it truly is about brotherhood. means a community that I can always go back to if I’m ever, like, having a really bad day. I know there’s always people there who are going to support me if I’m having a good day.
I know there’s people there who are going to celebrate my accomplishment. Well, it means a lot. First, I didn’t think it would mean what it means now. It’s kind of like my second family here. It’s kind of weird to say because, I mean, everyone says it’s like a forever
Home or like, or brotherhood they always say that. But it actually is because I feel welcomed in my house. And this house has helped me so much throughout my college career. Like, I don’t know what I’d be doing without my house.
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