On Monday, I read the opinion column “Rushing to Rush” by Andres Smith ’17. In the piece, he discusses the pressures to rush, the dominance of the Greek scene at Dartmouth and the idea that “the stigma of not being affiliated is worse than being part of a system” in which one might not necessarily want to partake. A wise member of the Class of 2014 recently told me that there is more than one way to do Dartmouth right, and I believe that also holds true for participating in Greek life.
For some, joining a Greek house is the best decision they make in their four years at Dartmouth. For others, choosing not to rush is their best decision. Everyone is different. If I could give one piece of advice to those considering joining the Greek system, it is that you should not feel pressured to join. You should only rush if it is something that you want to do. Don’t feel pressured to have the same Dartmouth experience as many of your peers, because, like my friend said, there is more than one way to do Dartmouth right.
I disagree that there is an overwhelming stigma against unaffiliated students. It may seem that way to freshmen, but as an upperclassman I have the utmost respect for people that are independent of Greek life. I don’t judge them at all for their decision. If anything, I respect them for having the courage to do what is best for them in a community where the norm more often than not is joining a Greek house. I know many of my friends feel this way, as well.
For those of you feeling pressure to rush, here are a few things to consider. You don’t have to pledge. Remember that. It is not a requirement for Dartmouth students. This isn’t the swim test. Besides, Dartmouth’s houses are inclusive and welcome students into any given basement on any given night.
You should also, however, keep in mind that joining a house does not by any means require you to be 100 percent devoted to it. You can spend as much or as little time being involved as you like. You could take on multiple leadership roles or none, and you can decide your level of dedication and commitment. Just because you rush does not mean you must throw away your free time and other interests.
In high school I never thought I would rush, but I did. And I have had a very positive experience. One of the best things for me about joining a house is that I have made friends who I would probably never would have otherwise. Meeting all sorts of people is awesome, and in many ways, Greek life facilitates those diverse connections. Greek life also exposes you to new leadership opportunities such as joining the Interfraterity Council or holding a house position, as well as philanthropic events such as fundraisers for charities. Yes, fraternities throw parties, but they do so much more.
My favorite part of Smith’s column was his closing, with which I agree: the idea that fraternity or sorority letters should not define a person. Yet he makes it seem as if being proud of your fraternity or sorority is a bad thing when he suggests that those letters should be one of the last things to define you. In a sense I agree. I think things like personality, dedication, values and morals should all define you. Yet that does not mean that Greek life cannot also be a large source of personal pride. It is for me.
In the end, there is more than one way to do Dartmouth right — do whatever feels best for you.
The column has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction appended:
The column is by Joseph Geller '16, not Andres Smith '17, as was originally published online. The column has been corrected.
