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If you study in the US, you'll hear about fraternities and sororities in your first week, and a lot of international students have no idea what they are. Here's the short version. They're social clubs for college students, and many of them have chapters on hundreds of campuses. A fraternity has traditionally been for men and a sorority for women. Each one has a name made of two or three Greek letters, which is why the whole world of them is called "Greek life."

Think of them as a mix of a club, a charity group and, sometimes, a shared house. Members call each other brothers or sisters, do volunteer work together, hold formal dinners and dances, and often stay in touch for decades after they graduate. Some are built around a profession, like engineering or business, and some around a culture or a faith.

Most other countries don't have a direct match. In the UK, students join societies; in Japan, they join circles; almost everywhere, there are clubs and student associations. Those are the global version of the same idea: a group that turns a huge campus into a few dozen people who know your name. The words below are the ones you'll hear when Americans talk about it.

Phrases

a social club for college students, traditionally for men

the same kind of club, traditionally for women

all the fraternities and sororities on one campus

the local branch of a national organization

the building where some members live together

what members call each other

the weeks when groups meet students who might join

a formal invitation to become a member

someone who has accepted a bid but isn't fully in yet

the money members pay each term

the charity a chapter raises money for

former members who have already graduated

the non-Greek option most campuses around the world have

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