Not only is college without Greek life fine, it’s better.
On March 4th, 2024, the University of Maryland (UMD) suspended all Greek life indefinitely. According to UMD, the school received allegations of multiple chapters threatening the safety and wellbeing of members of the university community. Though further details have yet to be released, former Greek life members and social media users have pointed to the dangers claims of hazing.
I attend a school about an hour away from UMD called Loyola University Maryland. We don’t have a large population, we don’t have a football team and we don’t have Greek life. Though the lack of Greek life was not on my criteria list when looking at different schools, I’m thankful I ended up going to a school without it.
A common question peers ask about going to a school without Greek life is, “what do you do for fun then?”
Loyola is a Jesuit campus located in north Baltimore. The Evergreen campus is close to some of the city’s most popular and historical neighborhoods, such as Federal Hill, Fells Point and Hampden. So, what do we do for fun? We go out and explore!
The social atmosphere of my school has helped me feel even closer to the city of Baltimore even though I’ve lived here my entire life. Going out and discovering local gems, supporting our city’s economy through eating at small businesses and appreciating the culture of the city has come precisely from the lack of Greek life.
Having the party atmosphere off-campus creates a better line of separation for me. When I’m at school, I’m focused on work and productivity. There’s not a space on campus that I associate with drinking and partying. I very much believe in keeping your spaces separate. It’s like how psychologists say to only use your bed for sleeping to combat insomnia. You start to blur the lines when boundaries aren’t created.This lack of separation may contribute to the higher rate of substance abuse in Greek life. Going to a school without Greek life means I’m fully immersed in my surroundings, and I feel much safer.
Studies show that the negative of Greek life include higher substance abuse rates and increased risk of sexual assault. Another study found that four out of five fraternity and sorority members are binge drinkers. Drinking problems sometimes carry into hazing as well, with at least 50 college students dying from drinking related hazing rituals from 2000-2021. If Greek life is constantly connected to safety hazards, why do so many colleges in the U.S. still have it?
A major claim for the need of Greek life is a sense of community and belonging. While that may be true, a large variety of student-run clubs and organizations exist on all college campuses. It’s not hard to find a club that relates to important aspects of your interests or identity.
I belong to a cultural club on my campus called the Asian Cultural Alliance, I intern for Loyola’s Center for Community, Service, and Justice and I also attend meetings held by my school’s National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association. Through these positions I’m able to find people with interests and values like my own through meaningful work, like volunteering and heritage.
Not having known first hand, hearing stories and experiences about Greek life have horrified me. I’ve heard former members sharing their outrageous and heartbreaking stories on TikTok. On the HBO’s documentary “Bama Rush,” one girl said she got roofied three times like it was nothing I’ve seen substance abused laughed at and sexual assault taken lightly. It’s terrifying!
College is a time to learn and grow. While Greek life does provide a meaningful community to many, it also harms many through high rates of substance abuse, sexual assault and danger in general. Why take unnecessary risks to belong? There are easily other outlets meant to include your interests and identity, excluding the dangers of Greek life.
Source Images: https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/homegarden/hottest-hoods-15-best-selling-neighborhoods-in-baltimore/ (Image via Baltimore Magazine)
