Greek life is a prominent force among many college campuses, providing a sense of family in the form of sisterhoods and brotherhoods to many students. However, in recent years, many fraternities and sororities have been under fire, criticized for acts such as hazing and general mistreatment of chapter members.

On the other hand, many members of Greek life defend their sororities and fraternities, stating that being involved has done nothing but enrich their college experiences.

A frat or sorority can create a sense of community in a time of your life when you need it most.

College is about new experiences, and Greek life gives you just that, encouraging friendships that have potential to last a lifetime in a new environment.

It gives you an opportunity to involve yourself in something that you haven’t been exposed to before, whether it’s a new type of relationship, or a different culture.

One benefit of getting involved in community service through a fraternity or sorority is that a number of fraternities are based around one service goal and strive to positively impact the community.

Despite the many advantages of such a close-knit group, there is an equal number of drawbacks.

Often fraternities become communities where bad behavior is glorified and both males and females can be taken advantage of.

In fact, an overwhelming theme in responses was that many fraternities and sororities promote bad decision-making, leaving many members with feelings of regret after a night of partying.

The party culture surrounding them can be toxic; peer pressure to party or drink, humiliation during initiation, and in extreme cases, death resulting from dangerous drinking habits.

Another generalization of Greek Life is that there is a strong “cult” mentality among many chapters and an expectation of what Greek life should be like, rather than an emphasis on academics.

However, the fraternity and sorority dynamic is not as black and white as it may seem.

It really depends on who you are as a person, the frat you join, and the decisions you make. If you make the right ones, many positives could come from the experience.

Sadly, a major issue to be considered when deciding to join Greek life is the extreme hazing culture seen on many college campuses. Pressuring new recruits to perform heinous acts in order to become part of an elite group is just the type of cult mentality that many students are afraid of, fearing that they may be implicated in the death of a member or be in danger themselves.

But there are ways that excessive drinking, partying, and resulting sexual assault can be prevented.

College is a difficult transition to independence, decision making, and acceptance in a young adult’s life. Such insecurities could lead to acting out of character. So is part of it human nature?

Sure, but colleges should create programs, such as group discussions and workshops, on dealing with these transitions rather than resort to unhealthy drinking. It is allowing the students to feel connected that is important.

While there is mass agreement that abolishing Greek life is not a solution to the hazing epidemic, there are viable alternatives to Greek life that provide an equally, if not more, rewarding experience on a college campus.

Focusing on local and on-campus activities involved with your career goal can lead to new relationships and long- lasting bonds. Not only will you meet new people, but you will add to your experience in your respective field.

While hazing scandals make headlines more than we would like to admit, to many, the brotherhoods and sisterhoods that last a lifetime are worth the risk.