Convocation Student Blog

Good Ole’ Greek Life… where do I begin? Fraternity Row? Sorority Houses? Hazing? How bout this: Pace has none of that. Pace’s Greek life took a turn off Stereotype Lane the day it was founded at Greek Life Ave. To put it in layman’s terms: Pace’s Greek Life is not what you think of when you think “fraternity” or “sorority.” If that isn’t what you want to hear, I’ll assure you that when I say that it’s different, I mean that it’s better.

 

When I was in high school, there wasn’t a huge hype about sororities or fraternities in my community, so I was aware that such things existed, but I didn’t really understand what it all meant. When I started talking to Pace students during the summer before I moved in for my first semester, I realized that there was a lot more to it than a house full of 50+ people of the same gender just partying and going crazy. I briefly spoke to a girl through Facebook about it and decided that I would have to check it out once I got to school. And I did just that. I rushed (see GLOSSARY at bottom) a little bit at the beginning of the year, and decided to keep my decisions on the low because I didn’t want anyone to influence me. I realized very early on that it had to be SOLELY my decision. And please, if you get anything out of this blog, let it be that one sentence: IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR DECISION AND YOUR DECISION ONLY. A sorority or fraternity is a lifelong commitment. It is absolutely not a club that you can just join and then decide you don’t want to do it anymore. Your sisters or brothers become your FAMILY.

 

After rushing for a little while, I knew where it was that I belonged. I received a bid (again see GLOSSARY) from the sorority that I hoped to become a part of, and I then went through the pledge process. Pledging is NOT a time for people to make you do crazy things. It is nothing to be scared of. It is a time to become close with the members of the sorority or fraternity that you hope to become a part of. It is a time to learn the history of the sorority or fraternity and to learn how it runs and why it has been a successful organization for so long.

 

At Pace there are many types of Greek organizations. There are local, national, and international organizations, and there are cultural and social organizations. There are a number of different sororities and fraternities on the campus, and the members are good at making themselves known. Greeks are very involved in campus, from hosting events to hosting parties, from participating in the annual Relay For Life (A Cancer Research Fund-Raiser) and other fund-raising walks, to participating in Homecoming Week and Greek Olympics.

 

If you’ve been keeping up with my blogs, you know that I am ALL ABOUT networking, and becoming Greek at Pace University is absolutely one of the best networking mechanisms. Being a part of Greek Life has opened the doors of opportunity for me, and I’m positive that I speak for the majority of Greeks at Pace when I say that.

 

I realized that with Greek Letters comes learning experiences, lifetime commitments to philanthropies and, more importantly than anything, a sense of fulfillment. My sisters mean everything in the world to me. They are my family, and I would do anything and everything for them. Becoming Greek was one of the absolute best decisions I have ever made. I highly suggest it.