Greek Life is a relatively polarizing topic, and people usually seem split on whether or not it is truly a positive thing. I think there are a lot of stigmas around joining a fraternity or sorority, but in my opinion it is important to see that there are a lot of beneficial aspects as well.
One huge pro of joining Greek Life is the sense of community that it brings. Here at Monmouth, there are only so many students and a lot of people have a tough time finding their friend group early on. When joining Greek Life in the early stages of college, you are immediately in the presence of so many people who are also in the same boat as you, trying to make friends and find a sense of belonging at Monmouth.
As a transfer student that came to Monmouth, the sense of community that Greek Life brought was huge for me and made me feel at home. I left a very big school to come to Monmouth and part of that is because I wanted to find a closer group of friends that truly knew each other well. That is when I joined Tau Delta Phi.
I immediately felt like I was home when I joined Tau Delta Phi and the sense of brotherhood and unity was really eye-opening to me. If anyone is looking for community and strong relationships, Greek Life brings that in a major way.
Another positive that comes with Greek Life in my opinion, is the opportunities it can give you professionally. At the end of the day students go to college to earn a degree and set themselves up for the future. The networking that can come with Greek Life is a huge asset. In all of the different organizations on campus at Monmouth there are so many alumni that have already made a name for themselves professionally that can be used as a resource for any current students looking for career opportunities.
In my opinion, another big plus that comes with joining Greek Life is the involvement that it brings on campus. I feel like here at Monmouth people always talk about the lack of school spirit and involvement when it comes to events and sports games. Monmouth has a good number of commuter students which can take away from this sense of pride as well.
From my experience one of the biggest positives that Greek Life brings in terms of involvement on campus is the philanthropy events that organizations put on. Most of the organizations on campus host events based around a good cause and put a fun twist on it. At some of these events, pollak theatre is completely packed with students all coming together for a fun experience and that is something that does not happen often at Monmouth outside of Greek Life.
No matter what your views may be on Greek Life, I think that it is necessary to see that there are so many beneficial aspects of it that can not only enhance your college journey, but set you up for future success. I don’t argue that it is not for everyone, but through my own experiences, Greek Life has helped me in so many ways and I am happy with my choice to join each and every day.
