The male students at Miami Dade College are missing out on a vital aspect of the college experience— fraternities.
Being that MDC has no Greek presence, most of its students only have a second hand knowledge of fraternities, through visiting one, researching them or knowing a member of one.
Ever since the classic John Belushi film Animal House, movies, books, and TV shows have almost homogeneously portrayed fraternities as congregations of degeneracy hiding under the guise of academic brotherhood. Merely hearing the word “fraternity” will make most people think of togas, beer kegs, plastic red cups, candle lit rituals, hazing, and all things “bro.”
Are there reasons for joining a fraternity besides indulging in this carefree party lifestyle?
A quick look at the facts will show what heights can be reached as a member of the Greek community: 70% of Greeks graduate vs. 50% of non-Greek students, 85% of Fortune 500 executives belong to a fraternity and 76% of American congressmen and senators belong to fraternities.
How do fraternities promote such a streak of success?
“Joining a fraternity has drastically changed my college life and experience honestly. I have a group of close-knit friends now who help and support me to the fullest of their abilities. I also gained access to more than a century of connections and aid through the alumni as well, not to mention the authority Greek life has on campus decisions too,” said Ovas Siddiqui, a member of the University of Minnesota’s Phi Sigma Kappa chapter.
Fraternities provide young men with an in group. For every fraternity member, everybody within the fraternity constitutes us, while everybody outside it constitutes them.
You might be asking, “Why not just get along with everybody?”
The truth is that while the idea of getting along with everybody is a pleasant one, human beings are simply not built that way. A quick look to prehistoric times will show that humans typically only lived in tribes of up to around 200 people. During these times, when survival was the main focus of daily lives, we had to set boundaries. Inside the boundary was the tribe of us, and outside this boundary, where dangerous animals and other competing tribes of equally desperate and capable people were them.
In modern times, we live in large, cosmopolitan societies where it is necessary to tone down our natural instincts for the good of society. Our physiology, however, has not yet caught up with our new environment. No matter how hard we try, we are mostly incapable of sharing true emotional connection and camaraderie with millions of people. Without being part of a smaller in group, many men feel alienated and powerless in this individualistic society.
For MDC males, the message I’m trying to convey is this: find a support group of likeminded men who will push you to be your best, and whom you will do the same for. A group for you to stand with against the world and all of its challenges. Find friends that will do more for you than hang out at your house and use your PlayStation. Push each other to realize your potential, and make your mark upon the world.
