Greek housing offers affordable alternative for summer living

It's April or May, and you don't have a place to live in the summer. If you're a guy, your options are pretty limited. You can't stay in a dorm room past mid-August, so you have to live at home with your parents. Or you can get an apartment or gather a few friends and find a house.

However, if you're a girl in the same situation, you have another option: living in one of the UW's fraternities.

In the fraternity system, many men decide to live outside their house in the summer, leaving a number of openings. Rather than leaving this space open, 24 of the UW's 28 fraternities rent out these rooms to women for the summer.

Fraternity living in the summer has some obvious disadvantages. Aesthetically speaking, most fraternities are not the greatest places to spend a summer. And if you're taking summer classes or working, the noise may keep you up at night.

"Dirty. It's dirty, dirty, dirty," joked Celia Fatica, a sophomore who has lived in fraternities for the past two summers. "It's loud, it smells, and you have to deal with drunk asses."

However, it also has plenty of advantages. If you are taking classes or have an on-campus job, Greek housing offers close proximity to campus, with most houses within walking distance of the University.

Socially, one would be hard-pressed to find a more laid-back, fun-loving atmosphere than a fraternity during the summer. In the summer, fraternities also provide the opportunity for students to become friends with a variety of people they might not otherwise meet.

Also, living in a fraternity allows for a freedom that can't be found when living with your parents.

"Greek life during the summer has all the advantages with none of the drawbacks," said Loren Buchanan, IFC vice-president of events. "The social aspect is just as strong as it is during the school year."

The advantage that draws most people to Greek housing, however, is the price. For men, rent for the entire summer can range from $500 to around $650. That includes utilities, but does not cover food and other living expenses.

For women, it's even cheaper.

"Generally, girls pay anywhere from 300 to 500 dollars for the entire summer," said Buchanan, "but most don't pay more than $400.

"Some even get a bonus at the end of the summer if they keep their room clean."

Compare that with $500 per month one might pay for an apartment, and it's easy to see why fraternity living is a very popular alternative to other forms of housing.

However, these vacancies fill up quickly, and it can be difficult for an interested girl to find a fraternity in which to stay.

Since all UW sororities close during the summer, sorority women occupy most of the spots in the houses. However, it's a common misconception that only Greek women can live in a fraternity. These spots are available to any female who wants a cheap place to crash during the summer and doesn't mind the drawbacks.

Greek or not, potential "live-in" candidates must undergo an application process to earn a spot in a fraternity house. Most houses receive more applications than they have openings, and are forced to turn women away.

Residents also have to deal with the most important thing that happens in Greek houses. During the summer, fraternities are responsible for getting new members to join their house; this process is called "rush." Those who choose to live in fraternities are encouraged to help out with rush by participating in house events.

For example, many fraternities hold weekly rush barbecues, with the live-in girls expected to attend. Most houses strongly encourage girls to come along as they take potential members to dinner, baseball games, golfing and a number of other activities.

"The type of girls you have living in can really contribute to the quality of rush," said Adam Siegel, a rush chairman for the Delta Chi fraternity. "Since those same girls hang around the fraternity during the school year, it really helps rushees get a good idea of the character of each house.

"I know the girls that are living in our house have been invaluable, and have helped us sign several quality guys."

Most people know that Greek housing provides an inexpensive place to live during the summer. If the unhygienic atmosphere can be tolerated, it also has the potential to make for a summer full of fun and memories.

"I'm so glad I decided to live in a fraternity," said Fatica. "I've met so many cool people."

Sorority members generally have an advantage in this process, because they know men in the fraternity. This makes it difficult for non-Greeks to find a place to live on Greek row. In general, a non-Greek woman must know somebody in the house to be accepted.

"There's always something to do; you can never get bored. The Greek system is a great place to be during the summer," said Fatica.