Opinion: Greek organizations not up to par

If you know me, then you know that I've had my fair share of run-ins with the Greeks on campus, but despite that fact, I still consider some of them friends.  However, when I look around at many of the Greeks here on campus, it's kind of disappointing to see that more times than not, they favor other students because of their swag, or because they "were cool back in high school."

It really shows me that many organizations would rather have the "cool kids" instead of looking at the character of prospective members. I know a number of individuals who have decided that they would rather not go Greek here because of the overwhelming social politics among the Greeks on this campus. One friend of mine stated that while she would love to join a specific sorority, she would rather join a grad chapter because if she were to ever do something notable she wouldn't want it to be accredited to the chapter here. Not too long ago, a Greek actually approached me with a backpack – with the fraternity crest – full of weed, and asked me if I wanted to buy some. Is this really what Greek organizations look for? But then again, he does have swag, so I guess they can overlook him selling drugs.

For many students, myself included, there's often a level of frustration when it comes to deciding between the "black Greeks" and the "white Greeks." It's easy to see that there is a racial divide among the Greeks, and I find that sad. I've seen many black students be ridiculed for wanting to join predominantly white Greek organizations, and I've seen multiple white students be pushed away from the idea of wanting to join black Greek organizations. I've considered both sides since I came to college, and honestly, I feel like each side has their pros and cons, but I won't say which side I would prefer.

Ultimately, I don't understand the way that some of these organizations go about scouting potential members, or why it is such a big deal to stay with your own race. Greeks have often told interested students to "get in where you fit in," but I guess some students just don't "fit in" anywhere.