Daily Prompt: Bone of Contention

Last Updated on May 9, 2022

“Pick a contentious issue about which you care deeply — it could be the same-sex marriage debate, or just a disagreement you’re having with a friend. Write a post defending the opposite position, and then reflect on what it was like to do that.” -The Daily Post

The first time I came across this prompt, I wrote about same-sex marriage. I’ve been in college long enough now to hear my fair share of perspectives regarding what some people think of fraternities and sororities so I’m going to write about that instead. Please note that the following response does not represent my actual views.

Fraternities are pointless because you’re basically just paying to have friends. Why should I pay such a ridiculous amount of money for “friends” when I could go out and make them myself for free? Besides, most of those connections are fake and don’t really mean anything. I think it’s a waste of time. Your grades will suffer when you pledge and it is just a way to pay for a social life because you wouldn’t have one otherwise. 

I disagree with that because I don’t think those statements accurately represent my experience in Delta Lambda Phi at all. I joined DLP in part because of what it stands for. I actually already knew most of the brothers before joining so if anything, becoming a brother strengthened real connections that already existed and created an opportunity for me to make new ones over time.

I actually just spent this weekend at a Winter Retreat in the Poconos with a few of my brothers. Between all of the shopping we did, card games we played, and conversations we had, I know this was a weekend that I wouldn’t have traded for anything.

4 Comments

  1. I think that it really depends upon the fraternity and the sorority. At my school, there was a fraternity that required members to partake in study sessions, and then there was a fraternity that allegedly had copies of old tests on file and handed them out for members to cheat. Just like in life, there’s good and bad of everything. By the way, I was wondering where you found these daily blog challenge prompts. They seem like fun, and I’d like to find some blog prompts.

    1. Fair enough! I would absolutely agree that my fraternity is different from most so perhaps what doesn’t pertain to us could pertain to others. DLP is rather small compared to some frats that have 100+ members and whatnot. I suppose the point of my post was to tackle the stereotype and to point out that not all frats are like that.

  2. Craig J Golbach

    Thank you for this blog post. I personally have never been a member of a fraternity and did perceive some (not all) of the notions that you have mentioned. This has opened my eyes to your experience and the whole fraternal societal organizations in general. If I may quote Martha Stewart: “It’s a good thing.” Thank you again.

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