An Open Letter to GDIs: Yes, We’re Really Like This

Dear GDIs,

It has come to my attention that now, more than ever, the gap between “frat” and “GDI” is widening at an exponential rate. Believe it or not, I’m not here to talk down to you or belittle you (see literally any other page on this site if that’s what you’re looking for). I’m just here to clear the air about a few things, like why we are such instruments of drunken chaos and overall damn good times, along with why we seem so different from you.

First and foremost, we get hazed. It might sound unnecessary or immature to you, but we take it very seriously and consider the pledge building process a cornerstone of our respective houses. You might have heard stories of thumbs up asses, or bows-and-toes over broken glass, but I’m here to tell you that’s not what it’s about (and I assure you, most chapters aren’t that fucked up anyways). The simple fact is that each and every one of us comes out of high school cracked out on a senior year superiority complex, and a little hazing serves an excellent purpose: putting us in line. With a powerful breaking down and consequent building up of our egos, you diminish the severely misguided “I’m hot shit as a freshman” syndrome. By no means am I suggesting that all GDIs carry this tag, but without a proper guided growing process your freshman year, you miss out on a lot. I’m not saying you were a shitty person in high school. I’m just trying to point out that constant self-improvement is something to strive for in life, and Greek life offers an excellent opportunity to do just that.

Second of all: we party. I know what you might be thinking. “We party too brah!” No, you don’t. Unless you can somehow match a hundred people throwing thousands of dollars a year solely for the sake of debauchery, you can’t even begin to compare. Our gamedays consist of trying to decide which band should play at our afterparty, and if 9 pallets will be enough beer. Yours are spent trying to figure out which parking lot to party in, and picking up an 18 of Heineken. Once again, not trying to belittle you, but the simple fact is you can not possibly consider yourself 1/1000th of our level in the realm of raging. We have more money, more friends, more girls, and more booze. Starting to regret your decision not to rush? I would too.

Finally, and (arguably) most important, we have the women. While there are plenty of hot GDI babes scattered across campuses (believe it or not), there is simply no comparison to a sorority woman. In much the same way as pledging builds us into men, girls involved in the sorority process grow and learn and better themselves throughout. The result? Some of the classiest women on campus. Say what you want about sorority girls being bitchy (in my experience all women are), but you can’t tell me that a GDI could possibly be superior to a gorgeous, polite Southern Belle who makes one hell of a sandwich.

In conclusion, my GDI friends, there is a reason we act the way we do. We may seem like caricatures of the college experience: partying daily to the point of blackout, accepting any dare no matter the risk (“You won’t fuck that chick on top of the administration building!”), and boasting about our father’s trust funds on a regular basis. I’m here to tell you…we’re not faking it. We are really like this, and you really are missing out.

Regards,

StuffFratPeopleLike

  1. Year Around Frat

    GDIs are mostly harmless. Being Greek, however, makes anybody’s college experience better. If someone can’t afford it, then maybe after hard work their son can afford it. College is great regardless of being greek, but we are definitely living it out the most. No matter if it’s SEC, the north, a directional school, private schools, and even California we are the cream of the crop and you are definitely missing out. It really isn’t that expensive anyway. Many of the dues pay for things someone already need like rent and meals as well as booze. If you budget it, it’s basically the same amount a regular GDI pays with the exception of the extra money blown on clothes and bars. A guy may not get into an old money fraternity but a guy with good character can probably find one fraternity on their campus with similar background and values. Basically, not going greek is because of ignorance and distrust rather than money.

    13 years ago at 5:49 pm
  2. mosthonorableactive

    I’m sure at least a couple people on this site had ‘bows and toes on broken glass, or something comparable beyond the bottlecaps. That being said, excellent column, with the exception of bragging about your dad’s money.

    13 years ago at 7:34 pm
  3. Osama is Dead

    I have openly admitted I’m a GDI on this site. (See Occupy Wall Street Column, I’m not explaining myself again.)

    This is actually a really good post, despite the fact that you did belittle people for not being in a fraternity.

    Of course some of us wish we were in a fraternity, but some of just simply can’t afford it. Facts of life, it is what it is. However, I would like to take a stance that simply being a GDI doesn’t take away from a college experience. Please don’t misinterpret, of course I know you guys have more fun. Shit, I’ve ridden past fraternities on a damn Tuesday night and you would think it’s a full blown saturday. Rather cool shit.

    In the end though, GDI’s have bars. And yes, I go to drink specials. Of course I do. It’s the only place to get shit plastered drunk for ten bucks.

    My point being, college can be a great time without being in a fraternity. Though I think you get a lot more out of college as a greek, some people simply can’t afford it.

    Anyway, cheers to the youth. Enjoy your experiences, I’m trying to make a succesfull enough life to where my son can go Greek.

    Just don’t ever think that we all wear cargo and have a general lack of concern for everything non-marijuana related.

    13 years ago at 8:13 pm
  4. screwthe99percent

    I’m a Lambda Chi and I never got hazed. We in turn do not haze our associate members. The rest of the article is pretty much correct though.

    13 years ago at 9:13 pm
    1. AllThingsFrat

      ^ this. Automatically makes your chapter a “social club” and in no way a brotherhood

      13 years ago at 10:29 pm
    2. Sour_Frat_Kid

      Hazing tightens a brotherhood, without hazing you are literally paying for friends. It is the glue that cements the brotherhood; a common bond that not a single geed or lower tier fraternity could understand.

      13 years ago at 10:29 pm
    3. BroTie

      Any fraternity that refers to their pledges as “associate members” might as well be a club.

      13 years ago at 12:10 am
    4. Khal Brogo

      My pledge class never got hazed because our chapter was recently rechartered on campus, and I was extremely disappointed. Obviously actually going through hazing sucks, but I have always regretted it. Well said, Sour_Frat_Kid, frat on.

      13 years ago at 2:21 pm
    5. screwthe99percent

      when i rushed i didn’t know this was the case. turns out all lambda chi chapters use the term “associate members” rather than “pledges”. it is kind of disappointing but i can’t say i regret my decision. any other lambda chi brothers out there that actually did get hazed?

      13 years ago at 7:09 pm
    6. FrattyIce1845

      Regrettably I did not face that much in terms of hazing in my own chapter either. I feel like our brotherhood suffers from it.

      13 years ago at 10:46 am
    7. USNavalFratcademy

      Backing up a brother on this one. Lambda Chi here and yea we didnt call it hazing or get the shit beat out of us, but we were still broken down and properly put in our place as a fraternity gentleman.

      13 years ago at 7:10 pm
    8. NoSecrets

      As a member of a “non-hazing” house, I jsut want to make it clear that the term non-hazing doesn’t mean we kiss our pledges asses. They still clean, they get all the shit jobs in the house, and have to work a hell of a lot harder than anybody else. But to say that the absence of a higher level of hazing makes you a social club is absurd. That’s like saying a Camaro is a Geo Metro because it doesn’t have the luxury shift knob and satellite radio. Its still a damn Camaro.

      13 years ago at 2:36 pm
    9. That Alumnus

      All chapters vary. Some chapters haze a lot and others don’t. If you didn’t recruit pussies, you might not have to break them down so much.

      13 years ago at 3:19 pm
  5. Fratrick Brochanan

    Hazing instills is the knowledge that we all have to go through some bullshit from time to time. The geeds are no-hackers, the fraternity men say, “it will be done,” and proceed to do so. The result is one group of achievers and another group bitching about the others’ achievements…sound familiar? Go join the military, law enforcement, a sports team, or a law firm and you’ll get hazed. Getting handed everything, rather than having to earn it, does not an exemplary work ethic instill. Risk a pledgeship and you can reap the reward of a lifelong brotherhood and professional network of other highly motivated men. You’re blowing a 100k on an education, might as well spend another 15k for the experience alone, plus a network?

    13 years ago at 12:19 am