10 questions all interests should ask themselves before approaching greeks

so you think you've caught the "school daze"? ask yourself these questions before moving forward. it may save you some much needed time, money, and energy.

10). is the chapter active?

chapters can be inactive for a variety of reasons. maybe academic inefficiencies caused the chapter to be placed on probation; or hazing allegations have resulted in the chapter being suspended. whatever the case, this is a question you need to consider before you "overexert" yourself and ultimately waste your time, and theirs. 

9). what's the name of the chapter you'd like to join?

you'd be surprised how often people muster up the audacity to address a member of the organization they are pursuing without even knowing the name of the chapter (or the full name of the organization) they wish to pursue. it's not only offensive, but shows you aren't serious. 

8). what is your grade point average?

a 2.5 grade point average is typically the bare minimum to be considered. and, if the chapter is worth anything, a 2.5 won't get you any serious consideration from the chapter because they are looking for top students who can positively reflect their organization, not low achievers who may not be enrolled the next semester. anything below a 2.5? don't even bother. you should go to the library instead. 

7) is this a good time to express my interest?

one of the most annoying things you can do is attempt to express your interest to someone while you're both at a party, a club, a bar, or anything social like that. why? because not only is it not discreet, it's kinda irritating too. don't do it. 

6). what am i wearing?

this one is a personal pet peeve of mine. do not, i repeat (do not) come to me dressed like "who shot john and forgot to kill him". would you go to an interview dressed less than perfect? so why would you express to a member of the organization you'd like to join? expressing is a form of interviewing. you should treat it as such. after all, an impression (whether it's a first impression or not) is a lasting impression. 

5). what do i know about the organization?

it's kinda self explanatory. you shouldn't approach a member of the organization you are interested in without having first learned some basic information about the fraternity (or sorority). what if they ask you something like, "so what do you know about my organization?" what will your response be? although it's impossible to know everything, you should still at least know something. 

4). what am i involved in on campus?

becoming greek is a very competitive process. what are you doing to stand out? are you making a difference on your campus in some way? if you aren't active on campus (for whatever reason), what can you claim to bring to the organization if you ever became a member? not to mention, you make it easy for people to assume you are either lazy, or incapable of multi-tasking, which are both things greeks (should) try to avoid when looking for potential new members. side note: when is the last time you've updated your resume?

3). who do i already know in the chapter?

some interests take on a "it doesn't matter who i talk to, as long as they are in the chapter" approach. however, this is not a good tactic. when you are trying to figure out who to talk to, consider starting with the people you already know. maybe you have a friend, family member, or mentor who's in the chapter. those are the people you want to start with. not doing so can be misconstrued as disrespectful, which is the last thing you wanna do. plus, the people you already know in the chapter are often the ones who know you better and can speak to your character. ideally, you'll be able to leverage these relationships in order to speak to other chapter members, although this is not always the case. 

2.) what is my reputation on campus (and social media)?

when you approach a greek and let them know you're interested in their organization, it is safe to assume that they'll initiate some sort of research. they may begin to ask their line brothers (or line sisters) about you. or, they may decide to take a look at your social media handles on their own. either way, you need to take an honest inventory of yourself. what's your reputation? are you known as someone who talks to much, or contributes to drama? do you sleep with everyone on campus? do you use foul language on your social media pages and post inappropriate photos? these are some of the things you need to ask yourself. this is the "age of the screenshot" and the truth will come out on its own (so don't lie). the greeks know. 

1). why do i want to be a member?

sounds easy, right? but you'd be surprised how many people attend an informational for one organization and end up "pledging" another organization. if you wanna lose respect in the greek world, this is the quickest way to do it. nobody likes an inconsistent thirst bucket who doesn't care what organization they are part of; they just wanna be greek. to avoid this, you should really ask yourself why you'd like to be a member of the organization you think you want to pursue. you can save yourself alot of time, and possible ridicule from greeks if you are honest with yourself from the beginning. you can't want to join because of someone else; it has to be for yourself. so be sure, because your next move depends on it. 

congratulations, you now know more than i did before i decided to become a member of a greek lettered organization. however, what you do with these nuggets, is completely up to you.