The minute I stepped foot on the University of Alabama campus I was welcomed by the 40,000 square foot sorority mansions and I knew I was not in Chicago anymore. Based on the sheer size of the organizations, I could already spot the difference between Greek life in the South and Greek life in the North. Southern Greek organizations are larger, more formal, and more financially prosperous than they are in the North. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into when I joined Sorority life at Alabama. In my hometown, according to Patrick Svitek of the Daily Northwestern, more than six women are not allowed to live in the same house without it being considered a brothel, so I was surprised to see that hundreds of women lived together in these
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The University of Alabama has the largest sorority pledge class in history and the student body is at least 33 percent Greek according to Alabama’s website. It is no secret that Greek life is a huge part of the college experience in the South. When I walk around campus, every third person I see is Greek and I would never have the opportunity to experience something like that back at home. It is almost surprising how popular Greek life remains down here considering how much of a financial commitment it is. According to Iowa State’s official website, if I were to have gone to Iowa State the maximum amount I would be paying is $3,900 a semester, yet a lot of their dues do not even surpass $200. Sorority dues in the triple digits are unfortunately unheard of here at Alabama. The maximum amount that women pay to belong to a sorority at University of Alabama is $7,100 a semester according to the National Panhellenic Association. Membership dues are only a fraction of the income. The Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity Alabama Alpha chapter just built a mansion this year on “new row” that cost 7.2 …show more content…
To Southerners, Greek organizations are not just an activity, they are a lifestyle. Due to the participation, formalities, and financial benefit of Greek life, it has become a prominent aspect of many southern
The University of Alabama has the largest sorority pledge class in history and the student body is at least 33 percent Greek according to Alabama’s website. It is no secret that Greek life is a huge part of the college experience in the South. When I walk around campus, every third person I see is Greek and I would never have the opportunity to experience something like that back at home. It is almost surprising how popular Greek life remains down here considering how much of a financial commitment it is. According to Iowa State’s official website, if I were to have gone to Iowa State the maximum amount I would be paying is $3,900 a semester, yet a lot of their dues do not even surpass $200. Sorority dues in the triple digits are unfortunately unheard of here at Alabama. The maximum amount that women pay to belong to a sorority at University of Alabama is $7,100 a semester according to the National Panhellenic Association. Membership dues are only a fraction of the income. The Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity Alabama Alpha chapter just built a mansion this year on “new row” that cost 7.2 …show more content…
To Southerners, Greek organizations are not just an activity, they are a lifestyle. Due to the participation, formalities, and financial benefit of Greek life, it has become a prominent aspect of many southern