So there are a million and one cliches surrounding the Greek system. But despite all the lies… So there are a million and one cliches surrounding the Greek system. But despite all the lies and half-truths, Greek life is great! For every reason you think it is, and for a multitude of reasons you may have never even considered, Greek life, in my opinion, should be the aspiration of every student on Pitt’s Campus.

As a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) – African American Greeks- my experience in Greek life has been a positive one. While many of the traditions of the NPHC’s Greek organizations and the Inter-Fraternity Council and Pan Hellenic Greeks may differ, the principles behind these groups are almost identical. All Greeks strive to build better people by instilling qualities in their members they believe are necessary for success. With that said, these are my top 10 reasons, based on my personal experience, why I went Greek:

Brotherhood/Sisterhood. This is generally the first reason almost all Greek members will give you for joining an organization. The bond that is created as a result of going Greek parallels, with amazing accuracy, the same bond shared between blood brothers and sisters. Secrets, and even money, can be shared with complete trust – more the former than the latter.

Support System. Greek life also provides its members with quite possibly the best support system any university can offer. Hard days can be relieved by chilling with frat brothers or shopping with sorors. I personally have witnessed how brothers can console each other after the passing of family members.

Parties. You know as well as I do, Greeks have a lot of parties. But understand first and foremost that Greek life is so much more than just partying. It’s community service, programming, meetings and study hours. However, after all of that hard work, Greeks know how to have fun. Greek parties can be amazing, as they sometimes incorporate wild themes with long nights.

Attention. There is no better way to stand out than by becoming Greek. I know many of you are thinking I’m crazy for saying this; it may seem contradictory to join a group of like-minded individuals to show your individualism. Well, as a group, Greeks attract a lot of attention for all of the great things that they are involved in. Individually, becoming Greek has helped me mature. And let’s face it: whether you are a man or woman, the opposite sex always loves maturity. Plus we have really cool T-shirts!

Grades. According to the Greek Guide issued every year, a vast a majority of Greek organizations mandate that you have at least a 2.5. grade point average. And almost all insist that members initiated maintain acceptable GPAs while active.

Networking. It’s one of the most valuable long-term benefits that being Greek has. Because organizations within the NPHC have graduate chapters, this serves as an extreme advantage throughout the job search. Thus, fraternities and sororities attract many members that go on to be very influential in all areas of their community. For instance, the late Johnnie Cochran, one of the nation’s most famous trial attorneys in recent history, is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. Joining any organization puts you in a position to network with its members and gain access to job opportunities you may have missed out on otherwise.

Community Service. If you enjoy community service, these organizations are perfect for you. Many of them require that members put in a certain number of hours in an effort to better their schools and communities. Community service also gives members an opportunity to become better acquainted with the areas where they attend school in building strong relationships within the respective community.

History and traditions. You become a part of a rich history. All of these organizations were founded on specific ideals and traditions for specific reasons, and many of them were founded more than a century ago.

Memories. One of the most valuable things you’ll leave college with are memories. Memories stay with you forever, and while many of these organization are very expensive, the memories that you could potentially make in these organizations are priceless.

Travel. What other organization on campus could you become a member of and then travel to another school across the nation and have a place to stay, as long as that organization was present on that campus? Pitt Program Council can’t do that for you, nor can Student Government Board.

Greek life is great for many reasons. And these are only 10 reasons why. An organization may appeal to you for a number of reasons. It could be their dedication to education, the quality of their parties or just a stereotype you’ve come to associate with the group. I challenge you to do your own research and look into becoming a member of the diverse Greek system here at Pitt.

E-mail Brandon at [email protected].