It’s that time of the year again where freshman college students are filling our college halls once again. The feeling of being in a new environment can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re alone in this new world and making friends is a complicated thing to do (well, it’s actually simple if you have the guts to do so).

That’s why Greek Life existed. In case you don’t know, Greek Life is a term used for fraternities and sororities that filled our colleges. Many believed that Greek Life could make your college life better, or is it?

You may be thinking, “why on earth would I join Greek Life?” Isn’t that a thing where the popular people at school will host parties and waste their parent’s money just to be famous? Well, in movies, yes it is. But it’s vastly different in reality because there are some frats out there that are good for you. Greek Life lets you meet new people, gain friends, and have a helping hand in times of need.

So, is Greek Life really for you? Going to the rush process will help you get to know who you are. So what is this “rush” thing we’re talking about? In Greek Life, choosing members involves a process called rush; be it for a fraternity or a sorority. Each system has its own criteria whatever’s written in their book. Below, we are going to break down both fraternity and sorority.

Sorority

• A sorority is a women version of a fraternity. It involves a quick and compact rushing process that can last for up to three to five days if that’s their cup of tea. New members will have the chance to visit every house at their university and are given a fair and equal opportunity to show off and impress themselves on each house they go. House-hopping is part of the process, or else, get lost. So put on your best shoes and prove that you are worthy.

Fraternity

• However, men fraternities are more relaxed when it comes to the rushing process (of course, girls are more complicated when it comes to such things). When it comes to fraternities, each of them will have their own booths where newcomers can visit to get a feel of what it’s like in joining such fraternity. A few weeks in time, new members must attend the events put on by their chosen fraternity, although it’s not required to join all of them (see? more relaxed). Fraternities also have house-hopping, but new members can choose which house should they visit compared to sororities.

Keep in mind that there are different fraternities, not just social frats that Hollywood movies portray. We have business fraternities, pre-law fraternities, and even film fraternities as well. After receiving a bid of your chosen Greek Life, this is where the pressure starts to lurk in. This is where the good, the bad, and the dirty will show their true colors.

The Advantages of Joining Greek Life

There are some benefits on joining one though. The first one is being involved in a brotherhood or sisterhood that can be your outlet throughout your college life both good and bad times. You were once a fish that was lost in a sea of strangers, but now that you joined Greek Life, you feel like you are part of a family that has the same interest as yours. It will make you feel more comfortable, confident, and most of all, accepted.

Another advantage is you will gain exclusive access to your school events or events that involve other frats and sororities as well. While there are major college events such as talent shows and quiz bowl’s, there are also smaller events where you can bond with your fellow brother and sisters in the Greek Life world as well.

Being a Leader of the Pack

An underrated benefit of joining a sorority or frat is to hold a leadership position. That’s why some people will race towards the top to be chosen as the rightful leader of the group. There are plenty of benefits when you become a leader of the pack. First, faculties will trust you. Second, your leadership experience can be used as a worthy addition to your resume when you find a job in the future. But if you want to stay low-key and just enjoy the fun of being in a group together, then it’s alright.

It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Hurt

You should also know that being involved inside a Greek Life is not a walk in the park. You will experience hardships too, and this where people inside the group you are in will show their true colors. It’s up to you and the pack on how to encounter such problems. Next, it is time-consuming. First-year students will be overwhelmed at first because they haven’t perfected time management just yet. But once they reach the later years, the peer pressure of both acads and Greek Life will start to sink in.

Dramas and group wars are also inevitable too. These things are common in Greek Life, and sometimes, the entire campus will be involved as well. Secrets will be revealed, tea will be spilled, friendships will be broken. The conflict between frats and sororities can lead to the university administration to step in and find out what the fuss is all about, which will put a bad image to all the students involved.

Verdict

Joining Greek Life is up to your choice. If you’re prepared to face the challenges of college, then you should be ready for it. Of course, joining one also has its cons, so better find a group that you’re comfortable with and brings out the best in you. After all, the hardships you will experience in joining such is part of the journey. If life is full of positives only, then where’s the fun part at?  Enjoy college and have a happy Greek Life hunt!

Have plans on joining a festival this year? Preparation is key! In this article, we are going to list down the simplest festival hacks to make your festival summer experience worthwhile. So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in!

1. Bring a Battery Pack
2. There’s nothing worse than partying to your heart’s content, recording every fun moment, and then suddenly, your phone said goodbye in the middle of the event. To prevent this, bring an extra battery pack with you. If you don’t have one, then you can purchase at the nearest malls near you. Don’t worry, they aren’t costly, and there’s nothing wrong with spending a few bucks on saving your phone from returning to its deathbed.
   
   
3. Bring an Extra Phone
4. If buying/bringing a battery pack isn’t your thing, then you can bring an extra phone if you had one. The sacrifice? The difference in quality. You may have an iPhone X, but once it goes dead, you will be relying on your ancient Nokia smartphone that’s dated back in 2010. Better yet, just bring an extra battery pack and save yourself from trouble.
   
   
5. Eat a Solid Meal a Day
6. Since you will be raving until you drop, it’s crucial that you fill your body the fuel it needs. And this is by eating solid meals a day. Munch on fries, chomp on burgers, devour some cereal bars to get that much-needed nutrient for your body. Now you can jump and dance and morning the night.
   
   
7. A Bigger Tent is a Must
8. It’s always ideal to bring a large tent with you even if you’re going solo. You will never expect you will meet new people at the festival and have a little chitchat inside your tent once the party is over.
   
   
9. Be a Wise Camper
10. A wise camper goes to the sight as early as they could. And also, it’s advisable to place your tent above ground level, be it uphill or something, to avoid being flooded in case the weather starts to act up again.
    
    
11. Your Place IS Your Place
12. When it comes to placing your tent, make sure that you know where you left it in case you will be sightseeing for a while. Find a landmark that marks your territory, maybe place it near the food stalls or near the bathroom (not too near of course or it will get smelly). You can also place some little details into it to mark it as your own such as placing a small flag on top of it.
    
    
13. Don’t Bring Pillows
14. Pillows will only add to the weight of your bag and will surely take up space. Instead of pillows, bring a pillowcase instead and use your clothes to stuff it. Be practical! You’re there for the festival; it’s not like you’re inside a hotel or something.
    
    
15. Bring Extra Clothes
16. This is essential if you’re going to a water festival, where being wet is a thing. It’s always ideal for bringing extra clothes with you to avoid looking like a damp chicken at the end of the day.
    
    
17. The Less Toiletries, the Better
18. Toiletries may be small, but they take up space inside your bag. So only bring a few with you. Or as an alternative, don’t bring any in the first place and just buy one if there’s a nearby convenience store at the site.
    
    
19. Bring a Mallet
20. Placing your tent can be frustrating, especially when it’s time to put it into place. So bring a mallet with you to shove up those tent holders right beneath the ground (useful it it’s a stony ground). Trust me; your hands won’t do any good, only a mallet will do.
    
    
21. Sealable Bags = Lifesaver
22. They can be used on almost anything. You can put your phone inside, your valuables, your food, you name it!
    
    
23. Water + Bananas = Perfect Combination
24. It’s always crucial to stay hydrated at the course of the entire event. Of course, you will be chugging on alcohol and hangover like there’s no tomorrow, but your health should still be your top priority. Bring a bottle of water with you and a pair of bananas for some extra twist.
    
    
25. Layered Clothing is a Must
26. You will never know when the weather can turn extremely cold. So bring extra clothing with you that you can use as layers.
    
    
27. Pocket Management
28. Always keep your essentials in the same pocket. This is important once you get drunk so that you will never forget where you put your car keys and wallet.
    
    
29. Wet Wipes is the Real Deal
30. Gone are the days where dry tissue papers are a thing. Wet wipes are the next big thing for your bathroom trips, so don’t forget to bring one.
    
    
31. Arrive Early
32. Festivals will be bombarded with people, so it’s better to arrive early at the site as possible to find space where you can camp. You don’t want to sleep beside a tree, right?
33. Clean Hands is a Must
34. If you’re a person that wears contact lenses more often to correct your vision, then it’s always ideal to wash your hands every time you put or remove them. Festivals can get wet, dirty, and wild. So do yourself a favor and sanitize those hands or go blind.
    
    
35. Create Your Own Lantern
36. Yes, it is possible to create one using a bottle of water and your smartphone or headlamp. Simply fill a bottle with water and use your smartphone’s flashlight and let it glow during the night as Coldplay play’s your favorite song live.
    
    
37. Be Mindful of the People Around You
38. Don’t push around just to get near the stage. Just stay in place to save yourself from trouble. Better yet, be early whenever the next gig plays to get yourself a spot near the performers.
    
    
39. Be Responsible

Last but not least, don’t leave your trash around the area. If others do, then be a good example. Be responsible with your actions no matter how harsh the people around you

In this Article I’ll try to offer you a standard run down of exactly what you should take and just what maybe you must prevent. I’ll after that go on to discuss some things in more information, and will certainly offer some suggestions based on personal experiences of going to Music Festivals for the previous 5 years. Festivals are much different than your traditional recording studios in ri that you may be used to.

Outdoor tents:

This is obviously fairly an evident vital to take when camping – especially at a Songs Festival! What you must do is confirm the amount of people are going to be in one outdoor tents, then take both personal room as well as storage room right into factor to consider. Commonly 3 people fit so we generally take 3 single/small tents then a 4th to put our storage in. This is a great method as it economicals as well as light. One more is to take a massive five-man tent, enabling space for all 3 of you plus 2 even more, which you can use for garments or food and beverage.

Sleeping Bags:

Resting bags are once again quite a noticeable thing to take with you. There are nonetheless a number of various types of sleeping bags out there. If your Music Event remains in the Summertime like many are, you’ll need to take a really thin lightweight bag so you don’t prepare during the night as well as in the mornings.

A Cool Box:

Trendy Boxes are really useful to take with you on any kind of outdoor camping journey. You’ll locate that at a Songs Event nonetheless you’ll be investing the majority of your day in the arena as well as a result because of this, you’ll probably be acquiring lots of food from Vendors and Stalls. Just take a Great Box if you’re intending on cooking any type of food. (Some cool boxes are retractable).

Clothing:

Every person makes this blunder. It prevails for individuals to constantly intend to look their best as well as to flaunt exactly what clothes they have actually obtained whilst at an Event. Please do not take anything costly though – it will certainly obtain sloppy, it will obtain destroyed and in some rare instances, it will certainly get swiped.

You ought to just take clothes you’re happy to obtain unclean as well as potentially messed up. See to it you take a jumper in case it rains or gets cold. The majority of the moment though, you’ll require light clothes as it can obtain unbelievably hot!

Thick Socks/Wellies:

Festivals tend to obtain incredibly sloppy. There are countless people all strolling across the exact same paths as well as this develops a horrible muddy slush. I recommend you to take some wellies and also see to it you wear thick socks with them so you do not cause blisters on your feet or ankle joints. Thick socks could be football socks or rugby socks.

A bag for dirty clothes:

There is absolutely nothing even worse than rummaging via your camping tent looking for a clean shirt or tidy undergarments. Maintain dirty clothes in a separate bag so you don’t obtain clean/dirty blended (attempt a lightweight cotton stuff bag). This will certainly additionally maintain your tidy garments fresh!

Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Deodorant/ Sun block:

Just as if you were going anywhere, bringing shower room materials are essential. Do not forget to evacuate your toothbrush and also toothpaste. Sun lotion is also vital to keep you risk-free from sunstroke and sun burn.

Where do I pitch my outdoor tents?

This inquiry gets asked fairly a great deal as well as it’s a tough one to answer. All Songs Festivals are different so it’s impossible to recommend a great location unless you understand it completely. Just what I can inform you nonetheless is exactly what you should prevent as well as just what you ought to keep an eye out for. To start with, you’re going to want to pitch near a commode. Do not pitch as well close to one however, due to the fact that the odor will come to be unbearable. Ideally, avoid pitching ideal next to a course or sidewalk. People will fall under your camping tent and also throws things beside it. And also that rainfall will collect below as well as no question flooding your outdoor tents. This is something you most definitely do not wish to take place.

If you’re searching for a quiet area to be able to kick back after seeing all the bands, you’re mosting likely to intend to pitch up as far away from the arena(s) as you could obtain. This implies you’ll have a lot even more to stroll, however you will certainly remain in a great peaceful location which no-one tends to travel to. This is often the situation for families with little ones.

Do I need Sunlight Lotion?

Great deals of individuals don’t bother with Sunlight Cream since it takes some time as well as initiative. I have actually seen males particularly not using it since they think it’s ‘girly’! Please see to it you cover yourself in Sunlight Lotion. You’ll be investing the majority of your day walking around in the heat as well as no doubt putting on little-to-no clothing because it’s so warm. The last point you intend to do at a Celebration is make on your own unbelievably awkward by shedding yourself, or worse, fainting from the heat and creating Sunlight Stroke.

Should I take my smart phone?

If you can, take an old cellphone. I generally take my old Nokia 3310 when mosting likely to an Event as I’m just mosting likely to be utilizing it to ring or message good friends when I obtain lost. You’ll discover that these phones also have a far better battery life as well as consequently won’t die on you. There are typically charging points, but these are fairly expensive to use.

Have an open mind!

Not every little thing will certainly go to inning accordance with plan. You will certainly fail to remember something. Fortunately is that you go to a Songs Celebration, you’re bordered by thousands and also thousands of individuals who just intend to having fun and who will be more than delighted to assist you whatsoever they can. Obtain separated from your team? Not actually a massive bargain in any way. All you need to do is one basic point: speak with people. Some of the most intriguing individuals any one of us have actually ever satisfied were those come across at songs festivals. These will certainly be individuals who are entirely different from you in virtually every way besides that you are both there to enjoy. That a person usual bond is all you need when you’re at a Songs Festival. Bear in mind, enjoyable with others is better compared to enjoyable alone.