As you walk through the Union during orientation and see all of the organization tables for the first time, you may notice a trend. There is a row of perfectly executed information tables with girls in dresses with their hair curled just right and their smiles beaming. Just across the way there are professional tables with guys in suits waiting to give you the textbook definition of a good handshake. And all of them want to take time to talk to you.
The idea of joining the Greek community when you first come to college is an overwhelming one. First, you (and your parents) worry about the cost. Then, your parents worry about whether or not you can handle all of your schoolwork and any mandatory events. The thoughts keep spiraling until you don’t even know what you want anymore. But you’re not the first person to experience this overload of decisions to be made.
Philanthropy, scholarship and leadership are just three qualities that Greek students value. That’s right, it’s not all about swaps and date parties. Most fraternities and sororities will ask that you join another organization on campus. They don’t care if you’re in an engineering society or the Famous Maroon Band. They want you to be involved. After all, Greek life was established to set leadership and scholarship standards for young men and women.
For reference, 18 of our former U.S. presidents were Greek in college. Roughly 24 percent of the 120 Fortune 500 CEOs were affiliated with a Greek organization. If you aspire to work in government or to be CEO of a company someday, it’s a pretty safe bet that joining the Greek community will benefit you.
Although scholarship, leadership and involvement are major aspects of Greek life, networking and connections are also beneficial qualities that Greek life can provide you with. In bonding with your brothers or sisters, you might learn that someone’s father works for the company you’re interested in interning with, or that someone’s mother is in the field you’re studying to join.
Luckily for us as students, Mississippi State University is not a school at which you must “go Greek” to find your niche. In fact, only about 16 percent of male students are in fraternities, and only about 21 percent of female students are in sororities. There are also a significant number of people who waited until their second or third year of college to join a Greek organization (myself included).
Ultimately, the choice is up to you as an individual and your parents. You’ve already made the right choice in coming to Mississippi State. If you value service, leadership, friendship, scholarship and campus involvement, then Greek life would suit you. If Greek life doesn’t sound like your thing, that’s ok. There are plenty of organizations on campus you can get involved in – whether you’re into live-action roleplaying, Disney movies or salsa dancing. If you’re an engineer, an aspiring CEO or an athlete there is something for you too. College is the time in your life to figure out what you like, who you are and where you’re going. There’s no shame in being a little lost, and there’s no shame in finding a group of people who are going to help you find your way.
