All of us at some point in our lives have wondered what is a university fraternity in the United States and what would it be like to be part of one? We explain to you.
The fraternities of the universities in the United States are known mostly for the different films that talk about them and in these, you can see various teenagers who constantly attend parties and struggle to pass their exams. But is this really a college fraternity? Or is it something completely different from what they show us in the movies? Whatever the case, here we explain it to you.
What is the real meaning of college fraternities in America?
Student fraternities or sororities refer to a social organization for students within the same university, although in several countries, these types of organizations exist.
In the United States, fraternities are better known, due to the fact that alliances and lifelong friendships are created in them, in addition to the fact that most of them have their own residences which are filled with the members of said fraternity in the USA. This means that the members of the same fraternity are used to living together in the United States, regardless of whether the members do not attend the same years or careers.
In addition to this, it is also known that there can be only male or female fraternities, or mixed, depending on the customs that are held within them.
The values and customs within a USA university fraternity
In these organizations, it is also customary to impart a type of regulation of values and customs, which varies depending on the fraternity. But for the most part, the members of each fraternity are asked to be: loyal, honest, committed, responsible, supportive, among many others.
These exclusive groups also have altruistic customs, which they use to benefit others or the university institution itself, depending on the case in question.
How to get into a college fraternity?
There are various rituals, which are carried out to decide which people enter or not within a specific fraternity, although you can also see the case of students, who are accepted into brotherhoods, for having connections within it or by inheritance.
In any of the cases, mostly the applicants, must follow a series of very specific requirements, before being able to enter one of these brotherhoods, which can make life on a university campus.
initiations
The initiations in a fraternity of the United States, is about an event, where the applicants have to carry out all kinds of activities, which are sent by the leaders of the brotherhood. Some people say that these initiations can be denigrating and some even stormy, but finally they end up being celebrated, to welcome the new members.
To date, there are some brotherhoods that stopped doing this practice, for all that it implied.
Note
If you want to be part of a fraternity, it is best to investigate what its requirements are, in addition to its values, customs and legacy, so that the process becomes easier for you.
Remember that, like any social club, people can be accepted or rejected, depending on the interests and convenience of the leaders of these organizations.
The most recognized and still existing fraternities in the United States
In the United States, there must be about 10 different fraternities for each university, but there are definitely some that differ from all of them, for one reason or another and we will also talk about those same ones now:
1. Phi Delta Theta
This is an outstanding fraternity in the USA, founded in 1848 and among its members, Neil Armstrong stood out, the first man to walk on the moon and the actor Burt Reynold.
2. Sigma Alpha Epsilon
This fraternity, for its part, had its beginnings in 1856 and among its most notable members is Phill Jackson, basketball coach, and David Spade, actor.
3. Pi Kappa Alpha
This brotherhood belongs to the University of Virginia and has excellent values and ideals, which helped the growth and development of important characters in history such as Colonel Harland Sander, founder of KFC and singer Tim McGraw.
4. Sigma Chi
This fraternity has been living on the Ohio University campus since 1855 and among its most prominent members are actors Brad Pitt and John Wayne.
5. Sigma Phi Epsilon
For its part, this fraternity has existed since 1901 on the Richmond campus and among its famous members are the founder of Wendys Dave Thomas and James Naismith, inventor of basketball.
