You say you’re from Alpha Zeta Omega Kappa Beta Delta? That’s nice.

If you’ve ever told me you’re part of fraternity or a sorority, my eyes probably glazed over. This happened for two reasons: one, I don’t care, and two, I know absolutely nothing about Greek Life, apart from what I’ve seen.

There are three categories of people on campus: Greeks, non-Greeks and wannabe-Greeks (the ones that seem to cling to everyone in Greek Life, but were too pansy to actually pledge or were not likeable enough to get a bid).

As a non-Greek, I foster some disdain for Greek Life because of certain stereotypes, some of which do hold true. For example, it irks me when Greek members in class act ditzy and gossip loudly — as if they’re the only ones in the room — about issues that deal with superficial matters such as their faces, their bodies and their dramatic love lives, or lack thereof.

I know that not all Greeks are like this, and I’m sure there are plenty of non-Greeks who fill this category, too. It does, however, seem like more shallow students enter Greek Life. It makes sense. Party-goers are attracted to parties and those walks of shame (damn that Jack Daniel’s). It’s just a shame to see one member from a fraternity or sorority be caring and intellectual, and then see another member from the same organization embarrass themselves by acting like a dumbass.

A lot of my friends and acquaintances are part of Greek Life, both at Binghamton and other universities. Many have stayed the same. There are, however, plenty who have changed after joining. It’s like Jekyll and Hyde — they used to be friendly and innocent and now they’re bitching and moaning and contracting STDs.

That said, I will admit that I have thought about rushing before. After all, Greek Life seems like the fastest way to make friends and have fun when you’re a freshman. I’m envious of the sisterhood, the mixers and the feeling of being a part of a national organization. Moreover, I admire how Greek Life is involved in volunteering and in campus life.

But in the end, it didn’t seem right for me.

While Greek Life is supposed to make students feel included, it excludes people at the same time. Every time I meet someone new and find out they’re from a fraternity or sorority, it’s an unspoken rule that they have a set group of friends already. They do their own thing and they’re in their own world. It’s difficult to keep relations with someone who would rather spend all their time with their “sisters” or “brothers.”

Like most campus groups, Greek Life has both its perks and downsides. I truly hope more Greeks will attempt to shake off the stereotypes and show themselves to the rest of us in a better light.