Being part of a fraternity or sorority during your college career can make a great impact in your life, both personally and professionally. According to USA Today, 85% of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life during their college careers. These individuals have gone on to lead very successful lives after college, and you can too.
Make the most of what Greek life has to offer.
1. Take advantage of networking opportunities
Being part of an elite organization gives you the chance to meet contacts that could be extremely helpful in your future. Most fraternities and sororities host many professional networking events where you can form these relationships.
In addition to networking events, your involvement with the organization forms a camaraderie with thousands of other alumni who were members of your fraternity or sorority as well. Determining this commonality with an interviewer could give you that extra boost to land the job.
2. Set yourself up to succeed
Some Greek organizations have academic requirements students must meet to maintain their memberships. These standards play a key role in the results of a national study, which showed that over 70% of fraternity and sorority members graduate, compared to just 50% of non-members that ultimately graduate from college.
Being a part of the Greek community gives you access to a wealth of resources. In your fraternity or sorority alone, there are many students living there that you could ask for assistance.
3. Rep your organization
There is college gear everywhere—the basketball team, football team, the college as a whole. Showing support for your school and its organizations is all part of the fun. Customized campus socks, t-shirts and sweatshirts are great ways to represent your fraternity or sorority. They also make great gifts for new pledges and members.
4. Be involved
Instead of simply being in college, Greek life allows you to actually be involved with college. Each semester, there are many community outreach events, which provide you with opportunities to give back and leave a lasting impression at your school. Focusing on your studies is obviously the top priority, but having another purpose throughout your college career can open up doors in the future, enhance your sense of self and ensure you truly receive a fulfilling college experience.
5. Make everlasting friendships
Living in a dorm room limits you to having only one roommate, which can lead to difficulties in making new friends of your same gender. Fraternity and sorority houses allow you to have many same gender roommates, which is a great way to quickly start establishing new friendships. You all chose and were accepted to the same institution, and continued down the same path in being initiated into the same fraternity or sorority—sounds like a promising commonality for friendships.
Greek life members don’t consider themselves to be brothers and sisters for no reason. They represent your family away from home and vow to always have your back. Let your brothers or sisters know you’ve always got their feet too, with some custom fraternity or sorority socks.
