March 28, 2024

One of the greatest staples of the Wittenberg experience is going Greek. Though fraternity and sororities are often nationally perceived in negative lights, Wittenberg’s Greek life has some of the most inspiring people I’ve ever encountered, and they hold many great events on campus that bring awareness to very serious matters outside the Wittenberg Bubble.
So why am I not Greek?
For those of you who know me, I’m involved in a lot of things: I’m the president of the Wittenberg choir, of a religious ministry, of the English department’s committee, the Torch, etc. I do a lot of things.
And I think that’s something that several people – not just me – encounter here. There’s a joke around campus that 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work for campus organizations, and that’s something I’ve found over the last few years to be fairly accurate.
Greek life, though it can be wonderful, is very time consuming. Between bonding nights with your sisters, philanthropy events, etc., I’ve yet to encounter a person in Greek life that hasn’t said “Oh, I can’t do (insert event). I have (insert Greek event) that must take priority.” While Greek life can be great for its bonding and brother or sisterhood, I worry that it can be impeding on your relationships with people outside of Greek life.
I’ve felt, in a sense, abandoned by my friends as they’ve become more involved with Greek life; I’ve felt my relationships with people I care about slip away over the years due to our busy schedules.
And that’s my fault, too. I think that’s something we all experience due to the Wittenberg condition. We are planning our futures and making memories and shaping who we are as people. Though the academic aspect of a college education is a very vital part of college life, your extra-curricular activities and your interpersonal relationships are what help you realize what you want in life, and can set you up with contacts for your future.
I have many interests, and many things I hope to help me in my future. I know I’m involved in what I need to for my own sake.
I have nothing against Greek life; I highly encourage people to try it if they think it’s for them. I just know that I have different priorities for my future, and sisterhood was not one of them.

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