Alexander Roberts – Special to the Southern News
Although he is not involved with a fraternity, Markus Lake, sophomore human performance major, said ‘Animal House’ and similar films give Greek Life a negative image and builds stigma for those who are part of them.
Lake said fraternities represent brotherhood and some films do not accurately describe Greek Life, which relates to the negative images associated with such organizations.
“Fraternities do a lot of stuff behind the scenes to help out their communities,” said Lake.
Some of the pros, Lake said, include networking opportunities, friendship, and social status, while a major con such as dues to join may outweigh the positives.
According to Lake, stereotypes about fraternities are not changing in regards to the general public.
TJ Jensen, junior secondary education history major, said he is not in a fraternity but thinks Greek Life on Southern’s campus is limited, compared to the portrayals in media that depict fun and frivolity.
“I like Animal House, I wish it was like that here,” said Jensen.
People are not changing their general attitudes about Greek Life, said Jensen, and fraternities have to do fundraisers to offset reputations and stereotypes that have been established over the years.
According to Jensen, the only con of being in a fraternity is the membership fee, while the pros include parties, special clothes, friends, support, and networking for employment.
Jehna Kemp, sophomore elementary education major, said she is not in a sorority, but views sororities as cliques.
According to Kemp, movies send inaccurate messages about what it means to be a part of Greek Life and the only reason some people take it to heart is because they do not have any realistic experiences to compare it to.
Kemp said the pros about being involved with Greek Life include community outreach, while the cons include membership fees and hazing, and she thinks the public perception of Greek Life is not changing.
Janlee Baylon, senior accounting major, said she is not in a sorority, but when she thinks of the word sorority, the image of residence students comes to mind.
Films and entertainment, Baylon said, reinforce negative stereotypes about fraternities and sororities.
According to Baylon, the pros of being involved in Greek Life include unity, friendship, and support, while the cons include lack of democracy, intimidation, and hazing.
Jesse Kroll, senior philosophy major, said he is not in a fraternity but he thinks of busy schedules, community service, loyalty, friendship, brotherhood, and social lives when he hears the term Greek Life.
Kroll says ‘Animal House’ and similar media exaggerate the idea of Greek Life, but thinks perceptions about fraternities have started to change in the general public.
According to Kroll, the pros of Greek Life include social connections and opportunities to build a good resume, however, cost and time commitments may outweigh the benefits.
Kevin Casoria, senior liberal arts major, said stereotypes about fraternities are usually negative and depict members as party animals, even though he is not involved with Greek Life.
“Some people see those movies as fun, while others might find it frightening or intimidating,” said Casoria.
The pros of fraternity membership, Casoria said, include brotherhood, friendship, and community, with some cons being school distractions and possible risky behaviors.
Kelsey Mix, junior liberal studies major, said she is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon, in which she holds the position of social chair.
According to Mix, there are about 120 students on Southern’s campus involved in sororities and there are a couple of different definitions of sororities, including social and multicultural.
Mix said the media still generates a negative stigma toward Greek Life, but the fraternities and sororities on Southern’s campus do not operate according to those stereotypes.
Mix said Delta Phi Epsilon hosts three major events per year that raise money for charity and has a zero tolerance hazing policy.
“Delta Phi Epsilon strives to accept women who want to better themselves and their community,” said Mix.
There are more pros than cons related to being in a sorority, said Mix, such as having a support system, networking, community service, and experiences that can apply to future employment situations.
The only cons, Mix said, include stress, time commitment, and being put under a microscope because of the attention sorority members get on campus.
“It is getting to the end of the year and I am beginning to get burned out,” said Mix.
Steve Dayton, junior recreation major, said the image he associates with Greek Life members is confidence.
According to Dayton, the pros of involvement in Greek Life include friendship; the cons of involvement in Greek Life include the feeling of living in a bubble.
Dayton said fraternities are misunderstood because of media portrayals, but stereotypes are starting to change in the public eye in regards to Greek Life.
Anisa Jibrell, senior journalism major, said she is not in a sorority but is aware of the stereotypes associated with Greek Life.
Jibrell said a major stereotype is extreme alcohol use: public perception has not changed.
According to the Cornell University Greek Life website, every astronaut on the Apollo 11 were involved with a fraternity or sorority.
Derek Emerick, senior recreation and leisure studies major, said he is the vice president of Tau Kappa Epsilon at Southern and being in a fraternity is not similar to movie portrayals.
According to Emerick, Tau Kappa Epsilon has a motto: love, charity, and esteem.
