lone pine
« All Posts by this Blogger
Backyard Shenanigans! Painting on a sunny day

Greek Life encompasses a large, and exciting, part of the Dartmouth experience. With almost 60% of students being affiliated in a fraternity or sorority, it's hard for that not to be the case. Here is my view of Greek Life so far. 

Before coming to Dartmouth, I was a little hesitant about Greek Life and how much it would dominate campus life. Coming from Nicaragua, I didn't really know a lot about fraternities and sororities and how these engage campus culture. Would it result in students being cliquey and exclusive? What was the culture inside the houses like? Would I feel welcome? Now that I am almost done with my first year here, I can say that Greek life at Dartmouth is not what I expected it to be. While I thought it would create a somewhat divided atmosphere on campus, this has not been the case at all. Fraternities constantly host events that are dry and open to campus where anyone with a Dartmouth ID can enter. These events make it easy to meet new people and socialize. I've found that while I know people in my class really well, meeting upperclassmen is also done through Greek spaces. 

At Dartmouth, you are not allowed to rush, or be part of Greek life, until your sophomore year. In fact, for your first six weeks as a freshman, you're not allowed to be inside Greek spaces in order to allow you to bond with your fellow classmates. Dartmouth is home to three gender inclusive fraternities, eight sororities, and 12 fraternities. Since I identify as a woman, I will be planning to rush a sorority come sophomore year. The rush process usually takes place in the fall and winter terms of your second year here. As that time now approaches for me and other fellow '25s, we are now learning more about sororities through different pre-rush events that take place during the last weeks of spring term. 

Pre-rush events organized by sororities are open to all self-identifying females who wish to rush or are simply interested in learning more about each house and getting to meet the sisters. Some events that I have attended in the past couple of weeks include BBQ and Bouquets, Game Nights, Spa Nights, and Backyard Shenanigans. At each event we would talk to sisters while making crafts, playing games, or receiving the occasional house tour. Events are all planned by the sisters in order to get to know the upcoming rush class and introduce them to their house. Participating in pre-rush has been a nice experience since it is a way to meet new people and learn about Greek Life; these events are really laid back, where you generally get to enjoy yourself amidst food, activities, and good conversation. All sororities I have visited are incredibly welcoming and do their best to answer your every question. As the rush process looms near, I feel that events such as these help lay down anxieties to rest. 

While Greek Life is a large part of life at Dartmouth, it is important to remember that it is not all-encompassing. With such an open social life present at Dartmouth you don't have to be affiliated to enjoy your Dartmouth experience. I still don't know what I plan to do come fall, yet I think that being part of a community of sisters of many different backgrounds brought together through a Greek institution is alluring. More on that to come!

Posts You Might Like