Category: college

really, tho

Okay, let’s be real. When you think of college Greek life you probably think of rowdy frat parties and pretty sorority girls. I mean, I could be wrong but that’s what I used to think before I myself joined a sorority on campus.These stereotypes are true to an extent but there’s so much more to Greek. First things first. Every campus is different and I can’t speak for every campus, but my campus (CSUF) happens to have 4 Greek councils; the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council (PHC), the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC). The Greek life that is typically portrayed in mass media and the Greek life that one would normally think of when frats and sororities come to mind are IFC (fraternities) and Panhellenic Councils. I’m sure those councils have a lot to offer and that those involved in these councils love their organizations, however I’m not here to talk about those councils. The sorority I joined is a part of MGC and joining this sorority really changed my life. I joined as a third year because coming into college I never pictured myself to be part of a sorority. I really thought there was only one type of sorority and that that could never be me. But boy was I wrong. I found a sorority that prided its organization in its diversity and intimacy with their relationships between sisters and I respected that. If I’m going to be honest one of the reasons why I joined a sorority was because I knew my cousin joined a sorority at a different school in MGC and she was having the time of her life. I saw her create relationships that seemed very genuine and I wanted to experience something like that. I decided to give this organization a chance. You know, why not? And I made arguably one of the best decisions of my life. Don’t get me wrong, joining a sorority can be time consuming, but the reward you get when you put in the effort is unmeasurable. I was able to meet the best group of women that not only empower me, but make me laugh, help me when I’m in need, eat with me, reassure me, and so much more. I even live with 4 of them in a 2 bedroom apartment. The passion I’ve grown for my sorority is crazy, just knowing what the organization stands for and how much sisters have put into the sorority. Aside from the sisters I made bonds with, I also got to meet lots of external organizations and made bonds with them as well. There are so many opportunities to meet new people and make new connections like going to formals, fundraisers, and philanthropies. What I’m trying to say is who knows? You could find your soulmate in Greek life. Or you could network and find a career opportunity. Or you could make lifelong friendships. You get exposure. Joining a sorority really did change my life, and for the better.

So why should you join Greek life? Maybe you shouldn’t. But what is there to lose?

A great way to make new friends and get more involved on campus is to join a sorority or fraternity. Joining Greek Life can provide many benefits to your college career and provide you with life long skills and relationships that extend beyond your educational journey. Contrary to popular belief, fraternities and sororities are not always how they are depicted in mainstream media.Though joining a greek letter organization can be a lot of fun, it’s not just about the parties and social aspects. There are a plethora of greek organizations that one can join, and they are broken up into different councils and categories. There are four different Greek councils, and each is either culturally based, service based, interest or career based or social. . There are a variety of fraternities and sororities that appeal to different demographics. No matter what you’re interested in, more than likely there will be a Greek Life organization for you. 

One of the types of Greek life organizations you can join are interest or career-based. For example you can join a Greek organization specifically to help you with your major, such as a co-ed Business Fraternity or a co-ed Computer Science Fraternity. Not only do you build relations with your fellow fraternity brothers, you are also able to gain skills within your major to help you with the career you want to pursue. An example of a professional fraternity is Alpha Kappa Psi. Professional Greek Life organizations help students move forward with their major while making connections with other students with the same interests. 

There are also co-ed service fraternities that focus on volunteering within the community and coordinating philanthropic events. If you want to make new friends while volunteering in your community, a service fraternity might be the right organization for you. An example of a well-known service fraternity is Alpha Phi Omega. 

Another branch of Greek Life are Multicultural organizations. These Fraternities and Sororities tend to focus on a certain culture or cultures in general. These organizations advocate for their ethnicities and communities and provide awareness for their respective cultures. If you’re passionate about your culture, a Multicultural Fraternity or Sorority may be a good fit for you. Some examples of these organizations are Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. or Sigma Lambda Beta.

Social fraternities and sororities are the organizations that are typically depicted in the media. These organizations focus mostly on the social aspect of Greek Life, and members of these organizations often build relations with those in other fraternities or sororities as well as philanthropy events. These types of Greek organizations may appeal to you if you want to improve your social skills and meet lots of new people.

Whether you want to improve your social skills, advocate for your culture, create more opportunities for your career, or participate in more philanthropic events, there is a Greek Life organization for you. Regardless of which Fraternity or Sorority you join, you will become part of a brotherhood or sisterhood that will last with you forever. You have the potential to make life-long relationships with your fellow brothers or sisters. Not only will you improve your interpersonal communication, you also can build your leadership skills when planning events, hosting philanthropies, or executing fundraisers. When you join Greek Life, you have many opportunities to meet new people and broaden your network, ultimately helping you in your career. The skills you learn from your organization can help build your resume as well and give you more assets that may be favorable to employers. 

Additionally, Greek Life provides you with a second family. The Big and Little program promotes inclusivity within the organization, as you are provided with a “big brother” or “big sister” figure that guides you and helps you in the organization. Joining Greek Life is a great way to get involved on campus and you become a part of a family thats a home away from home. There’s no way to tell if Greek Life on campus is for you or not until you try it out for yourself! 

Each greek council is different, so it is very important to do your research before joining an organization. Within the National Panhellenic Council, membership in one of these illustrious organizations is a life-long commitment. Whereas in other councils, members are most active during their undergraduate education and have the option to become an alumni post-graduation.

One very fun aspect of Greek Life is putting on events. Some common events you may be involved in are blood drives, formals, fundraisers and service events. No matter what type of event you may be coordinating, finding all the vendors and planning these events can be difficult. Luckily, College Trav specializes in planning events for college organizations, especially fraternities and sororities. We work closely with other companies to get the best prices on buses and transportation, DJs, and venues and save greek organizations lots of money and stress during planning. If you want to learn more about us or are ready to book, click the button below to get started.

If you haven’t read my about me page, something that has heavily influenced my college career has been the Pilipinx American Student Association. Also known as PASA, this club has contributed to building and developing the person I am today. PASA is a Filipino associated culture club dedicated to promoting Pilipino unity throughout the campus, hoping to educate and raise awareness about Pilipino culture. As I am Filipina myself, I found this club to be very inviting and close to home. As it is a club with 200+ members, It can be difficult to manage, considering the club hosts Friendship Games, the largest student run Filipino event in the nation, and our very own Pilipinx Culture Night, a night showcasing Filipino dances and depicting a play that is relevant to Filipino Culture. As a third year, I decided on running for the board position of social chair, and I served on the Spring 2019 board. The social chair’s responsibility in the spring is to host frequent social events meant to strengthen the bonds of general members. Spring semester also consists of Spring Formal, a formal end of year banquet similar to prom. As social chair, it was my sole responsibility to plan several agendas, manage budgets for events, and ensure that general members build relationships. The position was very similar to being the event planner of the board. Spring formal was an especially large event that was my responsibility. I had the duties of maintaining a cost efficient budget, hiring a DJ, setting up a photo area, handling the food, choosing the hosts, and much more. When planning for this event, I learned so much. I learned that you have to plan ahead and advertise very early on to ensure people are able to attend. Since the event also was showcasing several videos, I had to rent out a projector and ensure that I had the right cords for all the inputs and outputs. Additionally, I had to make sure the caterer was all set, also having vegetarian options. There is a lot that goes into planning formal events, and as I held this position, it really jump started my experience as an event planner. I also learned that when you start out, it is inevitable to make mistakes. I made several mistakes that I have learned from. For example, I rented out the projector at the last minute and didn’t know how to work it, but thankfully a fellow board member knew what to do. I learned that I should prepare in advance so this doesn’t happen again. Another mistake I made was that I oversold tickets, and I had to add a table last minute. This taught me that I should be careful of how many tickets I plan on selling. This experience has taught me so much and I’m glad I got to plan events before heading into the real world.