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In general, how do you make friends in college? I mean, I'm friends with lots of people at my high school but that's b/c I've known most of them my entire life. What are some of the stuff you did to meet new people and form new friends.

Also, how does the whole fraternity process work and how much does it cost to pledge a fraternity?

Lastly, what are college parties usually like and is it better to just hit the club?

Thanks,

Thomas

By Gidget (Gidget) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 08:50 am: Edit

I can't vouch for the rush process because I go to school in Canada and we don't have a big greek system and I don't know what college parties are like where you are but at my school they are amazing.
I met one of my best freinds at college when he was my spotter for a keg stand and parties are better that clubs for metting freinds because amid the crazy drinking you can talk and find out about people.
Some of the best parties I ever threw in REZ ( and I threw A LOT) was our TOGA party- everyone came in togas and we drank wine and had grapes everywhere.. lol and we had a hawian themed one and my favoirte was our pajama party- everyone got trashed in their cutest pjs.

By Perniciouspimp (Perniciouspimp) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 05:45 pm: Edit

Thnx Gidget.

By Buddnutz (Buddnutz) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 06:06 pm: Edit

Rush varies greatly by school. My school has an informal rush process where, for a week in september, every fraternity house has their doors open from 8-12 at night. You are free to go into the houses and meet the guys. You basically hang out with them, and if enough like you, you get a bid. For the fraternities without houses, there are tents across the street where you can meet them and the same rules apply. While pledging a fraternity is a great way to meet people, I would not reccomend doing it your first semester. Pledging is a whole other story. Costs VARY greatly, the cheapest on our campus is around $340 a semester, or $680 a year, my fraternity is $500-600 a semester, with the average being about 650, with some as high as 1000 a semester. The size of the house and number of brothers can affect dues. Any other questions, let me know

By Titanz05 (Titanz05) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 07:14 pm: Edit

What is 'rush'?
Sorry if I sound naive. =\

By Buddnutz (Buddnutz) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 07:34 pm: Edit

Rush is the informal name of the Fraternity and Sorority Intake Process. It is the event or series of events which attract potential members of Social Fraternities and Sororities.

By Willywonka (Willywonka) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 08:52 pm: Edit

Jesus I didn't know it was so expensive to be in a fraternity. Wow.

By Spit (Spit) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 09:43 pm: Edit

Living in the dorms and in a double or triple room guarantees that you will have atleast ONE or two friends. Everyone at my college had alot of other friends from their high school with them,but i was an out of state student and so i had to start from scratch. The first week was scary but after that everything was smooth sailing.

I went to clubs and frat parties but i can't say that i made any lasting friends there. Mainly my list of close friends consists of people on my floor and a few people in my classes.

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 10:11 pm: Edit

"Living in the dorms and in a double or triple room guarantees that you will have atleast ONE or two friends."

LOL thats funny

I am also going out of state, from NJ to the west coast, so I'll be starting from complete scratch as well. and at the same time.

By Spit (Spit) on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 12:41 pm: Edit

Yeah, the first week was really bad for me. Mainly homesickness and just loneliness I suppose. Its also because I moved into the room a few days before everyone else on my floor did AND I never attended my orientation so I didnt know my way around. By week two I was certain that this was where I wanted to spend the rest of my three years in college.

Now that I'm home for the summer it's like everything is the other way around, i feel homesick for my college friends and lifestyle and feel kinda uncomfortable being at home for 3 months!

By Hepidy (Hepidy) on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 02:40 pm: Edit

First off its a Fraternity not a "frat" second at Kansas State it costs the same as living in the dorms (2800/semester opposed to 2600/semester to live in the house). Then you have to take into account the individual fees associated with the individual Fraternity. I would recommend looking into each different Fraternity during rush week.

By Winterfresh (Winterfresh) on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 04:22 pm: Edit

That's exactly how my friend feel, Spit. Now that she's back home for the summer, she told me she feels like a stranger or even outcast in her oen home! She can't wait for school to start.

By Spit (Spit) on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Yep! Only another 10 weeks left!:D

By Gidget (Gidget) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 09:37 am: Edit

The initial move home is weird, you tell jokes and laugh about things that makes sense to you and your college friends but your home freinds might not get and peopel change at college and sometimes their is friction with you old friends and the new you but it will work out.

By Rosalind (Rosalind) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 06:54 pm: Edit

Just join some clubs and get involved. That's what I plan on doing. I'm going to stay in touch with all of my old friends, but look forward to meeting the new ones. My old friends are scattered out everywhere. None of us are in-state. We can all get together during the holidays.

By Kantgitrite101 (Kantgitrite101) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 05:50 pm: Edit

It was only $117 to join my frat, and our dues are $85 a semester. You really shouldn't chose on money, you should find the frat with the people that are most like you because you'll be around them A LOT while your pledging. One thing to remember is pledging isn't for everybody some people jsut don't fit in with the greek life. Also, make sure you know if the frat your intrested in is national or local. National fraternities seem to have higher dues but the connections you'll make for the rest of your life are priceless and nationals usually have higher ideals that extend beyond drinking and partying (although that is almost always a big part of the collegiate experiance)

By Flyinillini82 (Flyinillini82) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 08:18 pm: Edit

Hepidy, I have heard that Its fraternity not frat dozens of times. But honestly, I dont see the big issue. What is so disrespectful about casual abbreviation. The arguement I have heard is "Well you dont call your country your count do you?"
Is it wrong to say K-state instead of Kansas State and Dorm instead of Dormitory too?

By Vulcano (Vulcano) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 08:27 pm: Edit

frat frat frat frat....grow up....

By Ginagee7 (Ginagee7) on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 11:23 pm: Edit

Are there any major benefits, besides making friends and partying, to joining a sorority or fraternity? Like, does it help when applying to grad school because it shows that you were involved with school? Are the houses really nice?

By Daffodil22 (Daffodil22) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 03:48 am: Edit

Well, for the national orginizations, the alumni contacts will help later, esp. when looking for a job. When you join for life, it is truly for life.

By Dawgdncer (Dawgdncer) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 11:27 am: Edit

greekchat.com will answer all of your questions.

By Hepidy (Hepidy) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 01:10 pm: Edit

I can see why Vulcano has never been asked to Rush. The word "frat" is used to generalize all fraternities as nothing more than beer drinking, unintelligent jocks, its just really disrespectful. Yes I would call Kansas State, K-state, but what dumba** would call the country, count. Your arguement does not make sense.

By Lucifersam (Lucifersam) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 01:54 pm: Edit

I'm pretty sure that Vulcano and Flyinillini82 don't call refer to a country as a count, nor were either of them trying to justify doing so. The point is that "frat" is usually nothing more than an abbreviation, just like "K State". So their collective argument makes perfect sense.

By Voodoochile (Voodoochile) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 02:22 pm: Edit

What's wrong with saying 'frat' instead of 'fraternity'? I guess your fraternity brothers must have highlighted the difference when you got the 'we are so much more civilized than all the other drunkard frats' speech.

By Muppetcoat (Muppetcoat) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 03:06 pm: Edit

Oh my lord, you're ridiculous. I've never before met a single person who was so ridiculously pompous as to kvetch about the use of the word Frat. Get over yourself. No, seriously- you, right now are giving *fraternities* a bad name. Jesus. If everyone in your fraternity is as uptight as you, it's a wonder you have *any* pledges year after year.

*sheez*

By Vulcano (Vulcano) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 03:08 pm: Edit

And vulcano wins the round...

By Hepidy (Hepidy) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 06:37 pm: Edit

I obviously (and others loyal to the greek system) think its disrepectful to use word frat, inreference to fraternities. I have seen many people (usually freshman) severely "admonished" at social settings for using it. Didn't want others to fall into the same trap. But way to blow up over nothing, really shows your matarity.

By Efilsiertaeht (Efilsiertaeht) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 07:34 pm: Edit

Who's blowing up over WHAT now? Sorry Hepidy, you're the one with the matUrity issues, having been the original one to blow upn about the use of "frat". And I hope no-one ever calls you by a nickname, or they might get "admonished". Do you lash out at people who call you Ronny? Hopefully none of the people who are thinking about joining frats on this thread are going to your school, Ron F. Johnston... cuz if they were I think they'd probably decide against pledging right now.

By Flyinillini82 (Flyinillini82) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 09:32 pm: Edit

Just curious thats all. I am actually in a Fraternity (I'll call it that if you wish) and on Walkout (Where we visit other chapters with pledges) have run into the same type of dialogue. Guess its a regional thing. Heck, other chapters haze too, it just varies by university.

By Hepidy (Hepidy) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 09:50 pm: Edit

Thanks Flyin, I guess maybe it is a regional thing, sorry for the mix-up, one greek to another I apologize.