6C - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 The Michigan Daity - michigandaily.com 6C - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom What it means to go Greek Find your niche with'U' clubs By ANNE THOMAS Daily StaffReporter Going Greek - What exactly does that mean? Meeting for an omelette and hashbrowns at Mr. Greek's State Street? Maybe around 1 pm on a Sunday. A new immersive study abroad program? Eh, I don't think so. But, as hot Indian summer afternoon turns into crisp earlyfall evening, going Greek means choosing more than omelet ingredients. Commonly the term going Greek is used to describe a choice made by freshmen each school year at Universities across the country. At larger schools like the University of Michigan, it is often a popular way to find a smaller niche in a seemingly end- less expanse of students and their groups. Additionally, joining a sorority or fraternity definitely relieves the pressure of finding housing for sophomore year. There are a few different paths to becoming a member of the Uni- versity's Greek system. While the "traditional" ways consist of join- ing one of the sixteen sororities of the Pan-Hellenic association or the thirty fraternities of the Interfraternity Council, potential members also have the option of joining co-ed fraternities tailored to specific interests like business or law. There are also the Multi- cultural fraternities and sorori- ties, which allow students to join based on different ethnicites. Some like to mark Interfrater- nity fraternities and Pan-Hellenic sororities as excessive drinkers, the bastions of party animals and the terrorizers of an otherwise quiet campus life. But in all seri- ousness, many might argue that Welcome Week wouldn't exist without a blowout PIKE party and those football Saturdays wouldn't be as much fun without making stops at various fraternity out- posts with the ritual trek down State Street. Rushing a sorority can be overwhelming. Women who are already members spend countless hours preparing for rush. While many houses have impressive decorations and great snacks, rushees are reminded to remember where they feel most comfortable and to see through the virtual blockade of stream- ers and curled ribbon. Addition- ally, houses come with their own stereotypes. While some girls do fit roles espoused by Greeks and non-Greeks alike it is important to assess each house in its own right. But some do get caught up in the hype, hoping to be associ- ated with the best label they can. These groups sure know how to throw down for a party, and join- ing a group gives a new freshman an immediate network of friends from across the country. By VERONICA MENALDI Daily StaffReporter Contrary to what you may have been told, you won't always be burning the midnight oil at the closest library multiple nights in a row. Chances are, you'll find yourself with a bit of free time on your hands and no idea what to do with it. The University offers plenty of options for you to choose from that will provide you with the needed distraction from your quality library time. Given that the University is so large, you are bound to find at least a few people that share a common interest or hobby with you. No matter how abstract or unique your interest is, at the University those hobbies have been turned into clubs and groups that easily can be joined. For instance, if you find squirrels, especially the fuzzy and chubby Ann Arbor ones, to be incredibly cute and entertaining, there's a group you could join for that. Or perhaps fitness is more of an interest to you - there are running clubs, rock climbing groups and martial arts organizations. Then again, maybe dancing is more of your thing; there are groups that range from ballroom dancing to Latin to even classical dance. Even if you are more interested in professional or academic hobbies, such as foreign language speaking, writing for a journal or newspaper, engineering, entrepreneurship or even robotics, there are groups for those as well. There are even groups for political affiliations andbeliefs.Allthese examples are merely just scratching the surface of the hundreds of organizations the University offers, and if by the off chance you don't find what you're looking for, you can always be the founder of a new one. The point is, no matter what it is you have a passion for, you'll most likely find it here. Though all the groups that exist are very different in nature, they all have one important thing in common: once you become a part of the group, the members start to feel like family to you. This can be especially great if the University's size scares you or you start feeling a little home- sick. Being part of such a group will allow you to have a small community feel with people that share the same interests that you have. Also, having them will help you get through those nights when you actually do need to stay in the library until very late hours studying for a midterm or writing a paper you have yet to finish. Relive the glory days with IM sports 0 By ALEX PROSPERI Daily Sports Writer Just when you thought your ath- letic career was over, think again. OK, so maybe you lost a step, can't jump quite as high as you once could and you're carrying around a few extra pounds, but intramural sports at The University of Michi- gan offer everyone the chance to stay competitive on the court, on the field and even on the rink. The U-M Department of Rec- reational Sports offers nearly 30 different sports for Michigan stu- dents, ranging from the popular flag football and basketball, to the more obscure innertube water polo and broomball (hockey on ice). With six different groups - co-recreation, fraternity, gradu- ate faculty staff, independent men, independent women and residence hall - IM sports offer every stu- dent a chance to play sports in col- lege. The skilllevel, mental and physi- cal preparation and stakes aren't as high as you're used to, but IM can be just as competitive. This is most evident in the fraternity league, where rivalries between houses have been going on for years. Fin- ishing atop the IM standings is a huge goal for some houses, and when Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp), Pi Kappa Phi (Pi Kapps), Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) or Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) meet up, you can expect the same type of intensity from your high school days. And in every other league, expect to see plenty of Division III-type athletes who decided that a big school was their better fit. The one advantage to play- ing IM sports instead of a varsity sport is your interaction with the referees. I know some of you read- ing this don't care much for poor officiating, but you had to bite your tongue in high school. Well, wel- come to college, where freedom of speech is encouraged - just don't cost your team sportsmanship points. Maybe - no - the best part of IM sports has nothing to do with the games or the competition. When you come to Michigan, it's all about the coveted championship t-shirts. Each year, Rec Sports comes up with a different style t-shirt, and aside from doing well in school, seeing a football team that finishes 2008-2009 INTRAMURAL SPORTS CALENDAR 3-on-3 Basketball Basketball Soccer Inner Tube Water Polo Softball Mini Soccer Team Tennis Badminton Cross Country "Foxtrot" Swim and Dive Meet Golf Table Tennis Ultimate Frisbee BroombalL Sand Volleyball Volleyball Track and Field Dodgeball Broomball Racquetball Flag Football Bouldering Competition Wallyball Dodgeball Bouldering Competition Wrestling Meet 3-on-3 BasketbalL 3-on-3 Basketball 4-on-4 Basketball Sand Volleyball Sand Volleyball Softball Softball soURCE: U-M DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SPoRTS above .500 and turning 21, collect- IM sports gives you're the ingIM championship shirts should opportunity to stay competitive be your main goal for the next four and active while meeting new years. When you can walk into people in a new place. Make an IM class donning one of those, you're team with your friends and bring on top of the world. 'home abrand-new t-shirt. WHAT YOUR FRATERNITY SAYS ABOUT YOU Here's your disclaimer - not everyone who belongsto the following fraternities fits the stereotyp of the house. But generalizations exist for a reason. Sure, you're not technically supposed to go into rush with preconceived notions of each house, but we're betting you'll realize which houses are more academic, atheletic, or party-oriented within your first week here. We took many of the following descriptionsfrom Michigan's College On The Record blog, written by a former student using a pseudonym. Go ahead and laugh. It's all in good fun - and you'll understand soon enough. point & counterpoint on: GREEK LIFE 'The guys there enjoy wearing sunglasses indoors, lifting weights...sporting plaid shorts and owning every color of polo shirt imaginable." "The biggest, richest, most powerful house on campus. And they don't even know. (They're best known for) the Mudbowl game they host every year where they face off against another frat which literally has to limp on the field to play them." "When going to class, they wear $6 stained white t-shirts and sweat pants, but when going out for the night, they wear $300 Armani hand woven button- ups ... Their (baseball) hats are always flat brimmed, tail, and so precariously perched you swear you could blow it off their heads if you breathe too hard in their direction." "A siren song to many freshmen early on in their college careers, both male and female ... If you get past the sick house with a multi- level dance floor full of hot girls, you're left with a bunch of ex-lacrosse players in pink Abercrombie button-ups." Known as "Shady Phi," it's probably the most recognizable house on campus - the white one with the sand volleyball court. The brothers there seem to love standing on the balcony, leaning over and shouting to things to passersby as a bunch of shirtless guys show off their subpar volleyball skills in the front "yard." "I swear, every time I see a Fiji in his little Fiji hat, there's a 50 percent chance he's on the Diag, collecting moeny for cancer research at Mott Children's Hospital. What the hell can I make fun of there?" They throw bottle caps instead of ping-pong balls into beer cups. They don't believe in pledge terms. Sig Ep is like that kid in high school who everyone made fun of for being weird but who, in the end, was somehow still kind of lovable. Known for its constant, disgusting displays of debauchery, AEPi is pretty much the Michgian version of "Animal House." But when the boys aren't partying, they're studying - the house has the highest GPA on campus. Maybe alcohol doesn't kill that man brain cells after all. "My quick first impressions of the house were just a few B-school dorks I knew from here and there and then the various kind-of-alright- but-slightly-awkward kids in class." 'A majority of guys are rather skuzzy and overall, quite, let's say abrasive, but they've never done anything to warrant the 'bad boy' image ... they kind of just hang out and play beer pong." - This article orignally ran in the 2008 New Student Edition. Descriptions in quotes courtesy of College On The Record: http:// www.collegeotr.com/university_- of michigan/michigan-greek mythologythelist_2890 0 0 WHILE YOU CAN'T control theyears afteryougraduate from college and start living in the realworld, you can controlthe next four years with one decision -join the Greek system. Becoming a member of a fraternity was the best decision I made during my freshman year in Ann Arbor. And to be honest, it's not because of the crazy parties fraternities throw (but those are sweet, too). The best part of Greek Life is the relationships you develop with the people in your house. It's possible to make friends by going to random parties, by meeting people in your dorms and classes. But there is no other organization on campus that offers freshman as many quality opportunities to meet new people, develop fresh relationships and become a partof something that is bigger than the individual like the Greek system. There is an old saying: It's not what you know, but who you know in order to meet distinguished alumni who are already making huge strides outside of college and who can help you in the future. And by being a part of a group that ranges from freshman to seniors to alumni, you have a wide variety of people to model yourself after, as well as countless connections to work with. Moreover, you will become lifelongfriends with people that are knowledgeable and experienced over such helpful things as campus life. From parties to brotherhood or sisterhood events, there is rarely a dull weekend on campus because of Greek Life. And sometimes it's impossible to get into a party COLLEGE LIFE without without your Greek ID - only social activities isn't college attainable through being part of life. But there are ways besides the Greek system. the Greek system to save over- I cannot imagine my life at caffeinated students from Michigan without being in a spending every Friday night in fraternity. But at the same time, I the library constantly checking had more than a fair share of fears CTools. about joining the Greek system. College is the first time we step I wasn't sure if I wanted to away from our home - and our commit to such a big institution, protective moms and dads - to I was worried about the pressure venture out on our own. It is the to drink, and I was very confused time to learn how adults conduct on how much time I would have themselves in the classroom, to devote. But as time went by, I business and bar settings. developed a deep sense of pride for It is at the University that we my house. I wanted to be known learn how to manage our time as a member of a fraternity, and effectively. We learn to refine the I wanted to spend a lot of time at balance between hours devoted the house, too. The pressure to to studying and hours spent in a drink differs from house to house, slightly more inebriated state. but if you're still worried about the The Greek system hinders expectations of drinking while in our ability to find the right a house, I can honestly say that balance during our college I didn't take a sip of alcohol my year. While becoming an adult entire freshman year. includes learning how to have My feelings on Greek Life are a good time - and perhaps not unique. This is the consensus occasionally indulging in excess among members of the Greek - it also is the time to step up system. to the responsibilities of life and If you want to rush a house, do seriously prepare for the future. it. The state of many fraternity If you are hesitant, there's houses is a prime example of how nothing wrong with checking out the Greek system often ignores houses during rush in order to gain the simplest of responsibilities: a better understanding of how the cleaning. Greek houses might Greek system works. We all know look beautiful from the outside Greek Life isn't for everyone, but if in terms of architecture, but on you are even thinking aboutjoining the inside, they are complete a house, give it some deep thought. shit holes. To be fair, not all frat Most importantly, particularly houses are disgusting and most in fall rush because if you want sorority houses are actually quite to make the best of your four clean. But the frats most popular at Michigan - you've got to go for parties are some of the most Greek. dank and dirty buildings around. -ALEX PROSPERI The disproportionate emphasis on drinking in many fraternities is also a problem the Interfraternity Council - the umbrella organization that oversees fraternity chapters at the University - has mishandled. You just have to have a few friends involved in Greek Life to know the many loopholes there are in the council's drinking regulations and how central drinking is to a frat boy's life. Have you ever been to a frat party where someone draws something on your hand, even if you didn't bring your own beer? That's just one example of the party loopholes in council's rules: Everyone is supposed to BYOB, but instead the frat provides the booze and just makes a mark on your hand to correspond to what you brought - err, didn't bring. That's not to say that there aren't a few good academic fraternities around. This sector of the Greek system focuses on the academic aspect of college life. Often these frats will focus on one specific subject, such as math or business. But these fraternities also promote an unbalanced approach to college life. All work and no play makes, well, you know. The key to a successful and enjoyable college experience is moderation. Go out and be wild Friday and Saturday. Maybe even Thursday night if the first few days ofthe week were particularly stressful; But be ready for class on Monday, the protest on Tuesday and the Model United Nations meeting on Wednesday; be ready to do something more than indulge yourself during your college experience. If you are looking for a lot of drinking and nothing else, you should head straight to the nearest frat or sorority. If not, steer clear of Greek Life. -ALEX ERIKSON 0 0 - This article originally ran in the 2007 New Student Edition.