As rush comes to an end, Syracuse University is left with bids and bitterness. It is no question that Greek life is dominant within campus culture; over 25 percent of the undergraduate student body is Greek, according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Although many Greeks vouch for their affiliations, those not involved love to hate it. Greeks and non-Greeks alike have expressed feelings of gratitude and disdain over what Greek life represents.

In the Greeks’ defense, there are bonds and opportunities created through networking and charity. The discourse that associates Greeks as just cliques undermines much of their commitments to their fraternities or sororities. Their involvement is more than hanging out with brothers and sisters. On the other hand many non-Greeks view fraternities and sororities as elitist and superficial. Despite our departure from high school, one of our generation’s defining traits is the clash of cliques, which represents the problematic dynamic of Greek and non-Greek affiliated students.

The clique culture present on campus is one reason many students criticize Greek life, yet what millennials must recognize is that whether or not one has Greek affiliation we are all apart of a clique in one form or another. The most important thing to consider is that social groups are the building blocks of our identities and individuality can still exist among the crowd.

In an era characterized by mass-consumption, it is hard to find a niche of one’s own. Many of us strive to be unique and stand out from the crowd, but being an individual does not mean we walk alone; it just means we walk toward different destinations.

The problematic aspects of Greek life, such as sexual assault and hazing, are still ongoing issues and being addressed by students, and these criticisms are valid. In addition, one of the biggest criticisms of Greek life is that many people view the members to be paying for friends. The cost of dues can go up to nearly $1,000 per semester. The premise of brotherhood or sisterhood appears insincere to some because of the cost involved. But the dues don’t buy friends. They support the upkeep of the houses and are paid willingly.

As much as we would all like to believe that we are not as mainstream as others, the truth of the matter is that not liking mainstream things still makes you mainstream. Instead of focusing so much on not being like others or hating those who “follow the crowd,” millennials should embrace their differences among commonalities.

Even those not involved in Greek life have other affiliations which can be considered as a clique. Among races, genders, sexualities, clubs, sports and organizations, everyone wants to find people who are similar to them. As human beings it is natural for us to be social creatures and to depend on others to help shape our identities. Clique culture, in many ways, is a survival instinct and in college some people survive better in a fraternity or a sorority.

Greek life is especially important for diverse students on campus. Many sororities and fraternities have been called out on for lacking diversity within houses, but there are also predominantly black, Latino and LGBT Greek life organizations that serve to help underrepresented groups find families to call their own on campus. There are currently 23 fraternities and sororities that are historically or predominantly Latino and black, and that number continues to grow.

We should not rely on others to define ourselves. But it can be helpful to establish a concrete sense of self through our mirrored reflections off others. While Greeks are not perfect and should be called out on for any problematic behavior or representation the give off, categorizing Greek life in such a broad term as a “clique” is an oversimplified view. As many of us attempt to establish ourselves as individuals and successful people, we all seek comfort in community.

Laritza Salazar is a sophomore newspaper and online journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at lcsalaza@syr.edu.

Published on January 27, 2015 at 12:15 am