The Greek System From an Outside Perspective

So now that rush is over, prepare yourselves for the onslaught of girls sporting their new letters via tote bags, hats, tanks, fanny packs, coffee mugs, and pretty much every other monogrammable object imaginable.  While the enthusiasm is endearing, it can also be easy to get lost in the midst of the Greek system’s many events, as well as the so-called rankings/reputations of each sorority and fraternity.  While some go through their college and post-grad years convinced that these rankings are the end-all, be-all, others opt to believe that there are many other ways to interact without being restricted by these perceived social stratifications.  Only you can decide which method works best for you, but personally I believe that it never hurts to be open to meeting and talking to somebody who is not already in your established social circle.  One thing is for certain, however – for the most part, don’t expect to see boys at parties not hosted by their respective organizations, be it an athletic team, SLG, or fraternity.  For some reason, everyone finds it “weird” for male non-members to attend these parties.  This is the crux of what I treasure most about freshman year’s many shenanigans: there are no boundaries and pretty much every party is open.

I guess I didn’t realize back then that these parties were not only opportunities for freshmen to get rowdy in off-campus 4 bedroom family-style houses, but also a way for upperclassmen to start noticing who could be potential new members of their organizations. Thus, it really wouldn’t make much sense for upperclassmen to frequent such parties the way they did as freshmen.  Secondly, most of the refreshments provided at such events come out of the dues paid by the members, so while it seems a little selfish, it also makes sense why the hosts would not appreciate upperclassmen non-members enjoying their beverages. 

While there are definitely groups on campus who have very tight-knit friendships within their organizations, I can’t help but wonder if they’ll look back on their college years and regret not branching out more readily.  It’s great to have a group that you can trust and depend on, obviously, but sometimes not having a reason to leave your comfort zone can actually be detrimental rather than just easy.  Furthermore, what are people who don’t have time or the resources to join such an organization supposed to do?  I guess I’m more interested in the fairness of such a system, especially for men, since SLGs or fraternities automatically provide members opportunities – excuses even – to ask women out on “date functions” and semi-formals.  While these events are fun and often memorable, they also greatly reduce the pressure on men to ask women out on dates because it becomes much easier to conceal true emotions behind a “need” to have a date for the night. By the same token, these organizations also reduce pressure for women to enter into serious relationships, especially since women who are in SLGs and sororities also have similar social functions of their own, to which they can bring “dates”.

To be honest, I believe that Duke doesn’t have a true dating scence, or at least one that is not showcased well, because of an overwhelming pressure to be involved in Greek life, or in an SLG.  There is no longer a norm, nor need, to go on one-on-one dates in order to become more intimate with your “object of interest”, because these “dates” are already scheduled into our organizations’ social scenes.  Even if you don’t participate directly as a member, you will inevitably be influenced and impacted by these date functions, semis and mixers when the members ask you to go as their dates.  The Greek system is a beautiful networking tool that allows many people to become close friends with those that they never otherwise would have even met, but at the same time, many aspects can be quite limiting.  Even if the numbers show that the majority of Duke students would rather be in a stable, or at least exclusive, relationship, the stereotype we see fulfilled on a weekly basis is that of casual hooking up rather than serious dating.  However, this is also a cultural issue that can only be resolved through a change in personal views. Eliminating the Greek system is definitely not the answer, but if everyone becomes more open to embracing all Dukies instead of associating with only certain affiliated individuals, I believe Duke’s campus will become a much friendlier place.

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