Three years ago, I decided not to pledge social Greek. Instead, I found my way to Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Tau, an international music fraternity housed here on campus. I’ll admit I’m not much of a social butterfly, but I found a home with Greek letters nonetheless.
My first-year roommate pledged social Greek, and I often found myself wondering why our groups rarely crossed paths. I thought I had joined a larger community, not just my own fraternity. Yet, it felt like there was an unspoken line we weren’t supposed to cross. One emblazoned with “Do not engage.”
Over time, I began to realize there was a clear divide between social and service groups. There’s honestly no reason for it. Why the divide?
I don’t blame the social or service Greek groups. Why seek out something you can’t see? We have pledging at a different pace, seek different experiences, and we all seem to have our own niche. Yet, the few individuals who belong to both social and service Greek groups seem to have the best experience overall.
I’m not sure who will take the first step, or if it will ever be taken, but it’s something to be considered. We often debate Greek versus non-Greek issues, but we never talk about the lines divided between those within the Greek community itself.