Written by: Zackary Betscher

Greek is good:

Being a part of Greek Life in college makes one’s college experience far better than not participating in Greek life. As I began college, I did not find friendships as close as I once had when I was in high school; I seriously considered leaving Akron until I joined my fraternity.

The University of Akron’s website states “Students who join Greek organizations are more likely to return to school the following year.” With my fraternity, I have found a brotherhood greater than any friendship that I could have ever imagined. I would not have had the motivations for achieving Dean’s List status, and I have not cared about an organization or activity more than I do now.

Being in a fraternity means representing something more than oneself. It means representing a national and historical organization. Being in a fraternity keeps your priorities in check and it allows you to be the best person possible. Caring about an organization as much as most Greeks do makes them want to represent it in the best way that is achievable.

Being involved in Greek Life gives you more than a friendship; it gives you a brotherhood or sisterhood that lasts for life. My fraternity is a diverse environment; we have brothers from all walks of life. Despite our differences, however, we have all accepted the same basic principles of our fraternity, therefore, we benefit from each other’s presence.

In Phi Delta Theta, we keep each other accountable for our actions in a professional manner. By doing this, we insure that every member of our organization is striving to be the best version of himself.

We strive for excellence in community service, academics and personal character. We take pride in helping the community and in knowing community service reflects positively on our fraternity, as well as the college which we attend.

Fraternities and sororities do a great amount of work in the community. According to The University of Akron’s website, on average, “Greek Life raises more than seven million dollars and contributes around 850,000 hours to community service a year.”

We, the Greek community, strive to do our best academically because the primary purpose for being in college is to earn an education and one day graduate with a degree. We expect nothing more than top grades from our members and push them to their limits. Additionally, other members of Greek Life also push their members as far as they can go and do not accept failure.

Being in a fraternity or a sorority helps you become more prepared for life after college. It teaches you responsibility and how your hard work can accomplish great things. Also, being involved in Greek Life looks great on a résumé, which can help ensure that you get a decent job after college.

According to The University of Akron, “Approximately 85 percent of the top executives of Fortune 500 companies belong to a fraternity or sorority.” Also, “Of the nation’s 50 largest corporations, 43 are led by fraternity men and sorority women.” This shows that being involved in Greek Life greatly helps prepare you to do great things in your lifetime given that only around two percent of the United States’ population is a part of a fraternity or sorority.

My college experience thus far has been better than I could have ever imagined. Since I have joined my fraternity, I have pushed myself harder academically than I have before and it has paid off; I have earned a higher GPA than ever before.

Without my fraternity to motivate me, I am sure that I would not have been nearly as successful. I have found a brotherhood that is stronger than any friendship I have ever had. I urge you to consider joining a fraternity or sorority; see what chapter suits you best and start your journey to bettering yourself.