As students arrive in Eugene this fall to enter the new and unfamiliar environment that is college, many of them will find a supportive network in the University’s fraternity and sorority community.
The fraternities and sororities that make up the community, some of which have existed since the beginning of the 20th century, pride themselves in not only providing their members with valuable leadership and communication skills, but also with family-like support.
“There is definitely a family aspect to fraternity and sorority life,” said Shelby Gatewood, vice president of Chi Omega. “There’s this whole sense of feeling obligated to watch out for other people who are a part of your Greek organization because you care about them.”
It is for this reason, fraternity and sorority members say, that although joining has its social and academic purposes, the real reward is the dependability that is formed amongst their fellow brothers and sisters.
“I know I can count on any of my brothers at anytime for anything I need,” said Trevor Anderson, president of Alpha Epsilon Pi. “If I want to go get food, watch a movie, play video games, study, work out, or if I just need to hang out with someone to help me get my mind of things, I know I have a house full brothers to help me out.”
College students, especially freshmen, are a group particularly prone to stress from the transition to college life.
The support of a large group of peers can be helpful in an otherwise stressful and pressure-filled setting that can be difficult to adjust to alone.
“College can be a really harsh and lonely place,” Anderson said. “Family is about having someone who can be there for you whenever you need them. I’m lucky enough to have 50 of those people.”
Most fraternities and sororities have big brother and big sister programs to help offer guidance and individual attention to incoming members. This creates a special bond between the two as the older brother or sister takes their respective little brother or little sister under their wing and brings them into the fold of the organization.
These types of bonds were particularly appealing to students like sophomore Victoria Fennell, who was looking for guidance as she entered her first year of college.
“If you ever need help with anything or need support from someone, there are 130 girls that will be there for you at the drop of a hat,” Fennell said. “You can approach anyone and have an honest conversation and find support within any of your sisters.”
The family-like atmosphere that fraternities and sororities embody is also apparent in their work with the local Eugene community.
Each sorority and fraternity on campus is a philanthropic organization, and in addition to raising money and donating to a specific charity, each member is required to fulfill a certain amount of community service hours per term.
Last year, members of Chi Omega, for example, were involved with a prom dress drive and collected donations of formal dresses that were given to local teen girls who couldn’t otherwise afford a dress.
By participating in these types of events and taking advantage of the support given by their peers, fraternity and sorority members are given a unique and special college experience.
“No other group on campus provides the opportunities that the Greek community can,” Anderson said. “I tend to think that I’ve learned as much living in my fraternity as I have in my three years of college so far.”
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Supportive system eases adapting
Daily Emerald
September 27, 2010
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