re: Just Came Across a Fellow Professional Who Discounted Greek Life in College

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I've never understand fraternities. You join randomly, right? I can understand joining an organization of people that have a like mind, regarding religion, worldview, etc, but I don't understand joining a random group and then just becoming best buds with that random group. It's just rather odd to me.

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I mean, kind of. You get to scout it out informally and "formally" at most schools to see who you like. When I was coming out of HS in Atlanta, I started getting mailers from fraternities before graduation, and all of them had stuff in Atlanta to attend. You know the reputations of places and you probably know guys older than you who joined at various places.

One fraternity takes you to a Braves game, another has a party at someone's lake house on Lanier, that type of thing. So in theory, you do that stuff, and gravitate toward a couple of fraternities you like best, probably meeting other incoming freshmen in the process.

Then once on campus, there is more of the same shite, so you go to the houses you like for their parties and by the time most of us pledged somewhere, we already knew a) other freshman that were likely going to pledge the same place as you and b) people at that fraternity who you've hung out with at events. And a lot of times you're doing this with dudes you went to HS with or friends you've picked up through the process.

So sure, it's kind of random, but probably not as much as you think. Not much different than it is for any kid starting college and settling into a group of friends. Definitely better than the shite sororities do, which is unnatural and disturbing.

Plus, at any SEC school fraternity guys are going to like beer, golf, CFB, hunting and fishing. So if you're a kid that doesn't fit in with at least some portion of the 80-150 dudes in that group, being in a fraternity is probably a bad fit for you anyway.

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like beer, golf, CFB, hunting and fishing.

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Pretty well nails 95% of the guys that were in my fraternity as well. Luckily, they could be very selective on who they rushed so all the guys I pledged with all shared the same interests.

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none 

I was the ultimate GDI in college 

graphic t-shirts, cargo shorts, and flips flops 

all day, every day

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This pretty much sums up my time at LSU. With 30k students, if you want to Greek, Greek, but it's not like if your not in a frat your watching TV.

I was a Nupe

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From what I remember it was about a 3k per year difference.

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My meal plan only provided food, fraternity dues paid for food and parties. Being in a fraternity saved me money.

Is your tat on your left or right ankle?

Played rugby. No need for a frat.

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From what I remember it was about a 3k per year difference.

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I mean, you pay rent and pay for food right?

I get the jab about paying for friends and it frankly never bothered me. But of course in reality, that money is pooled to run the nice house you hang out at (and/or live in), the band parties, booze, trips/formals, meal plan, etc. It's not like some dudes are the top getting paid.

I think my folks would say that they ultimately saved money when I went all-in and started living at the fraternity house.

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People that talk about/actually care about frat stuff after college are tool bags.

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Definitely anyone who drones on about "brotherhood" and such are. I liked being in a fraternity and will certainly encourage my son(s) to do it if they're interested, but taking greek life seriously (outside of networking) post-college is pretty weird.