For better or for worse, most of our minds jump to a few stereotypes when we think about Greek life at college.

These images may be mild (well manicured girls lounging on well manicured lawns grooming their poodles; buff young hunks with gleaming teeth leisurely tossing footballs) or wild (sleek packs of women cat-fighting over hair straighteners; tribes of blubbering drunks swinging by bed sheets from the balconies of dilapidated houses).

Ever since Animal House debuted in 1978-and maybe even before that-Greek life has come off as nothing but an excuse to party all night long.

But Greek life, especially at Saint Louis University, doesn’t completely conform to the hedonism we imagine. SLU’s fraternities and sororities provide essential tools for their members: A ready-made, tight-knit community and an ideal platform for campus leadership and involvement, among others.

As “Rush Week” continues for SLU sororities and fraternities, let’s consider the flip side of going Greek.

First, only 17 to 18 percent of the student body participates in Greek life here. This figure is miniscule compared to the size and scope of Greek chapters at some other, larger schools. That means that there’s little pressure to join if you don’t want to, but enough structure to suit you if those Greek letters are calling your name.

Plus, we have no sorority or fraternity houses. DeMattias Hall is the closest students come to living together in a Greek social hub. This may detract from the depth of community that pledges feel, but it also detracts from drama and all-consuming competition. Instead, groups are more cooperative, chatting, playing and championing charitable causes together.

Despite the small to moderate size of SLU’s brotherhoods and sisterhoods, the impact those groups wield on campus life is mighty. Many campus leaders are active in Greek life here. Plus, each group emphasizes community on a city- or nation-wide level by adopting a charitable cause and donating time and money to it.

Greek life here isn’t all charity and altruism, and it’s not for everybody. Socialization is the lifeblood that sustains fraternities and sororities. You can be shy and still be chosen, but you won’t stay that way for long.

Some groups do fulfill the Animal House image, promoting drinking and causing more trouble than can be explained away. Pi Kappa Alpha-the “Pikes”-gained this reputation after years of violating probation and were removed from SLU’s campus until 2012. The group was punished, but it proves that a wild streak still runs through some Greeks.

But, more often than not, Greeks at SLU get along and do good.

At the risk of sounding apologetic, we’ll say it: Greeks at SLU are something special. Greeks at SLU are something more.

So take a look at the bright side of Rush this week, and give SLU Greeks the credit they’re due.