Binghamton University fraternities and sororities speak 0a veritable secret language, using terms associated with pledging and rushing that are unfamiliar to most students which makes it so difficult for outsiders to understand what greeks are talking about that is could very well be ancient Greek.
While the greek’s language may seem complex, it can be translated.
One common term is “rushing.”
“Rushing is a time when fraternities and sororities meet the students interested in their organization,” said Michelle Lazarow, a sophomore human development major and member of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority.
Two common forms of rushing are “dirty” and “dry.”
Dry rushing is an important aspect of greek life, they said.
“Dry rushing is a period where fraternities and sororities are not allowed to hold events where alcohol is served or throw any parties,” said Adrian Granite, a junior bioengineering major and member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. “The IFC, Inter Fraternity Council, actually showed up to one of my events to make sure no alcohol was being served.”
According to Lazarow, dirty rushing is when sororities or fraternities try to get members to join against University policies. An example of this would be using alcohol to get members to join when it is forbidden, or speaking to freshman girls during the first two weeks after winter break when it is not allowed.
Understanding pledging is also important when thinking about greek life.
“Pledging is the time it takes for each organization to learn about its group’s history, values and members,” said Justin Joseph, a graduate student, member of Tau Alpha Upsilon fraternity and graduate assistant for Sorority and Fraternity Affairs.
Underground pledging, an illegal form of pledging, becomes a problem within many organizations. According to Joseph, there are two types of underground pledging.
“One is pledging an underground fraternity or sorority that is no longer recognized because it lost its rights,” he said. Another is pledging a group that is not yet recognized as an official fraternity or sorority.
Students may try to underground pledge if they have grade point averages less than 2.37, the cut-off for legal participation, or are first-semester freshmen who are not allowed to pledge.
“Bids” and “crossing” are also need-to-know terms when it comes to pledging. Bids are offers to join a fraternity or sorority. According to Joseph, girls can only get one bid from an organization, while guys can get as many as they want from different organizations. Once a student accepts a bid, they agree to pledge a particular organization.
“Crossing occurs on the final night of your new member process,” said Katherine O’Hanlon, a junior history major and member of Phi Sigma Sigma. According to O’Hanlon, this is the night that you become a sister or a brother in your greek organization and are allowed to begin wearing its letters.
The concept of “legacies” is also key in many greek organizations.
“Legacy is having a parent or sibling who was once in a fraternity or sorority,” Joseph said.
As a legacy, which can also be used as a noun to describe someone with such a connection, a potential member has a greater chance of being selected.
With the growing number of fraternities and sororities on campus it is important for students to understand the different terms associated with greek life. This can help them decide whether or not they want to join and what types of rules they might have to follow. For more information about the terms related to greek life students can visit http://greeklife.binghamton.edu/info/definitions.cgi.