By CIARRA ZATORSKI
STAFF WRITER
Some Rutgers freshmen have mixed opinions about Greek life at the university.
Some say that it’s an opportunity to meet new people and make friends. Nicole Turso, a first-year student at Rutgers, said she’s considering joining a sorority because she would like to make new friends and engage in activities outside of her dorm life.
Turso is looking into sororities to extend her involvement at the university. She is inspired by the fact that Rutgers students are using their sorority status to help others.
“I think they give students a chance to be social and active in society,” Turso said. “It is the chance to be apart of something and meet new people.
However, some also say that Rutgers’ Greek life is too focused on partying.
Kowal said he is already making his own connections and having fun without the help of a fraternity or the hassle of having to pledge for one.
Kowal feels that fraternities and sororities do not always get a golden reputation because they are linked to partying.
“I hear a good majority of fraternities get shut down,” he says, “Plus, I hear a lot of stories about the after feeling of a party; like the drunk bus, the stomach problems, and the hangovers that don’t sound appealing.”
First-year student Smit Patel also doesn’t plan on joining a fraternity because of their reputation.
“Personally when I think of fraternities and sororities I think of wild parties, drinking, and drugs,” he says, “That’s one reason I don’t join them.”
The same Rutgers students, however, feel that fraternities and sororities do a lot of good for the community.
Kowal supports the community services Greek life is involved in at Rutgers, despite his decision not to join one.
“I support fraternities and sororities because when you hear from them, they are doing some sort of service, whether it’s fundraising or supporting a group.” he says. “I see a stand or two per day.”
Patel also supports the community services at Rutgers. He says he was pleased to recently see a sorority selling cupcakes to raise money for a pharmaceutical cause especially because he is a Pharmacy major.
Some Rutgers freshmen say they like the idea of moving Greek life to Livingston campus.
Jake Dingler feels moving the sororities and fraternities would increase safety and security.
Dingler said they wouldn’t have to worry as much about break-ins, muggings, access to harder drugs or any of the other dangers in the New Brunswick area that he often hears about.
The freshman recently read an article about a Rutgers student dying in his New Brunswick dorm.
“While on the surface this does not seem to be relevant to Greek life, it’s a reflection of the environment New Brunswick has to offer Greek life,” says Dingler, “This environment, plagued with criminal activity, is not as healthy as a college environment should be.”
Others feel the move would be too much of a distraction.
Smit Patel feels that Livingston is a campus of mostly freshmen and says he does not want to be influenced by that kind of environment as a freshman.
Dingler and Patel also feel that Greek life is too much of a distraction from their studies.
Dingler says the he does not plan on joining a fraternity because he would not be able to fulfill the responsibilities as a commuter to the university.
“I would rather use that time to focus on my own studies and part time work,” he said.
Patel does not plan on joining a fraternity also because he says his academics are his priority and joining a fraternity would take up too much of his time.
Patel has made his decision with the help of his friends. He says that fraternities require too much of a commitment.
“Some of my friends in my dorm tried rushing for it, got the bid, but declined to pledge because they realized that they had to sacrifice too much of themselves,” he adds.
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