Theme: Greek Life (*Just to be clear, I'm not trying to be stereotypical or anything to Greek members, so please don't get me wrong! Also, I know that some of my filming ideas depends on camera quality and all that jazz. We'll work out the kinks as we go along!*)
1.) Expenses: many people say Greek Life is expensive; but does it actually save money?
One of my roommates rushed into a sorority, and she says that after she calculated expenses, she will be saving money instead of losing it when she lives in the house next year. Don't get me wrong, of course sororities and fraternities hit your wallet hard. But, for example, since her house will have a cook (at least my roommates' house does. I'm not sure about all of them), she will not have to pay for a meal plan. In addition, I would look into living expenses in the house compared to the dorm, etc. When filming, I think there is a lot of wiggle room for the set if not the sorority/frat house itself, such as an open green on campus, dining halls (when talking about meal plans (assuming it won't be too loud)), dorms (when talking about living), etc. I'd talk to mainly upperclassmen Greek members (particularly ones that know their money situation), hopefully someone here who works with financial aid/payments (in which case, set in an office), etc.
2.) Academics: many Greek members get the "dumb" stereotype, but members say that going Greek can help you get better grades; which one is it?
I have heard a lot of people accusing Greek Life members as having a “ditzy” personality or just not quite being “smarter than the average bear.” But I have also heard statistics of Greek students getting better grades than non-Greek students and being more likely to graduate because they got involved (though students who get involved in anything in general tend to have higher grades/be more likely to graduate). I’d set this most likely somewhere in Alden, Baker, maybe even the Scripps library, etc. Also, I would speak with upperclassmen Greek members (to see how they feel they have turned out), non-Greek upperclassmen (to see how they feel they have turned out), one Greek and one non-Greek freshman (to get their expectations), I’m thinking of Jenny Hall-Jones or someone along those lines to get stats from OU in particular/how Greek Life typically affects students, if there would be a way to record a Skype session with a Greek alum and a non-Greek alum to see how things worked out in the long run, etc.
3.) Hazing: we've all heard of Greek students hazing newcomers, but how does it really affect OU students?
This story would be my last resort because I could see myself trying to interview people and getting nothing but "oh, we would never do a thing like that!" and other remarks that don't get me anywhere (a.k.a. I don't know if people would be entirely honest). But I find it disturbing when I hear hazing stories, especially ones in which the hazed student dies or must go to the hospital, or anything along those lines, because of it. Therefore, I think it would be interesting to do a story on what it's really like here. I know a few people that went out to bars and parties every night for a week after being accepted: what happened there? Was it really just bonding, or did people go overboard (and if people went overboard, who's to blame? The upperclassmen for pressuring or the new member for not being responsible?)? As far as settings go, I think it would be cool to have an interview or two set in one of the bars on Court St. (preferably before the bar opens if that's possible), at the sorority/frat house (again), or a green on campus, etc. I'd talk to (again) mainly upperclassmen Greek members, some freshman Greeks (a.k.a. the newbies), (again) if there would be a way to record a Skype session or anything like that, I think it would be cool to talk to an alum (former Greek member) or a Greek from another college (see how things vary), etc.
