Greek Life: The Positive Aspects Of Greek Society

“Roughly one million current students belong to fraternities and sororities, and when alumni are counted in the total, the number may be as high as nine million” (Reifman). In the mid to late 1800’s, colleges had very strict curriculums. This caused students to create their own associations based on learning about multiple topics in greater detail and discussing them with their peers. Universities started to encourage these groups and their goal of independent thought. This is what started the first debating and literary societies. Eventually, these organizations became more than an academic environment, and started to become a bonded group full of strong and dependent relationships. By the end of the century, members started making time for parties, sports, dances, and other social events. This gave way to modern day Fraternities and Sororities (“History Greek Life”). Many modern concerns about Greek Life center around the fact that the focus has turned to the social aspect and left behind the founding goals and the positive outcomes of this system. Traditions are now carried out with little thought for the meaning or necessity of said traditions. Social occasions that may have elitist origins are continued because of nothing more than being popular and building a sense of loyalty. It seems to some critics that the aspects of Greek Society that pertain to the positive effects have been diminished compared to the social facets (Garret). This train of thought can lead to many