Last week, a girl from my school published an article titled "15 Things Every Non-Greek Is Sick Of Hearing." The reaction: mayhem. Greek life at Rider makes up only 10 percent of the student body. Yet our tiny community of less than 500 people erupted last week. The drama ended when the author sent out an apology for the article, and said she was going to have the article taken down.
I'm not here to discuss why I personally think this article is right or wrong. If I'm being honest -- I feel strong opinions have no place in journalism. I've been publishing articles since I was 16 and I'm a journalism major. My professors and editors always tell us to ask ourselves: What makes your opinion worthy of listening to? Do you have credentials? Did you do research or conduct interviews? If the answer is "no" to these questions, then it's not journalism. It's just a fluffy op-ed. If you're still confused, or finding yourself saying, "But we are allowed to express our opinions without fear of being attacked," read this article, which explains this concept in depth.
But I digress. This article of mine is not about what I've learned about journalism. It's not about telling the author of the article that she is wrong. I did my research, and I'm ready to talk about how kick-ass Greek life can be. I talked with some fellow Greeks and drew up a list of things we feel should be shared with those who aren't in Greek organizations. I hope this article of mine can clear up any animosity and shine a light on all the incredible things we as Greeks do.
1. Hazing is not a joke.
It's not. We don't joke about hazing, ever, because it's super not funny. I was never once asked to do anything that made me feel uncomfortable because forcing someone to do something they don't want to do is not what it means to be a brother or sister. Outsiders looking in on the Greek community, I hope you can understand that we take hazing so seriously and truly mean it when we say our sisterhood doesn't haze.
2. There is no stereotypical sorority girl or fraternity guy.
Time and time again I find myself defending my choice to go Greek. I find myself justifying the decision with "I'm not a typical sorority girl" or "We aren't like the movies." My letters don't make me better than you, they make me better than I used to be. Greek organizations were created as a space to share common ideas with like minded people. It should not be a surprise that a girl with a 4.0 is in a sorority. I shouldn't have to defend myself for liking it.
3. Letters don't make us better than you.
Just because you chose not to go Greek doesn't make you better or worse than us. We are just different, and our differences are what make the world such a unique place to live.
4. We aren't best friends with all our sisters, because that's insane.
I don't have 74 best friends, I have 74 sisters. There is a difference. It is impossible to imagine that you'll get along with 74 girls amazingly. When you join a sorority you and your sisters have a bond. You share a ritual and a common belief. Whether you become friends or not is not the issue. Sisterhoods are strong because everyone respects one another, and you don't have to be friends to respect someone.
5. Yes, we love our Bigs and Littles without knowing much about them.
I can only speak for my house, but getting a Big or a Little is a process. Littles aren't just handed out like candy, they are paired with a Big because of many different reasons. A Little picks a Big because they see something in that person that inspires them, and I love anyone that finds me inspiring.
6. We actually love our philanthropy.
If I was going to list all the amazing things sororities and fraternities do with their philanthropies, I'd be here all day. Joining Greek life is knowing you are a part of something and bigger than just yourself.
7. Recruitment isn't a beauty contest.
It's not. It's about a personal connection. Pretty girls and attractive guys are a dime a dozen, but someone with an interesting personality is a rare find. A sisterhood falls apart when recruitment becomes about appearance and not about personality.
8. We defend Greeks when they are in the media because we love Greek life, but we never condone irresponsible behavior.
As in any organization, there will be flaws. It gets tiresome feeling as if we as Greeks need to constantly defend ourselves because a fraternity or sorority did something stupid. What's even more tiresome is the backlash that follows when another organization messes up.
9. Following this, Greek life isn't perfect.
And we don't expect it to be. Remember before you come at us with petty complaints that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
10. We really aren't paying for friends.
Logistically, when you split up dues, you can see that friendship is not something covered in our yearly payment. Depending on the sorority situation, you are paying to live in a house and for food. You are paying for chapter upkeep and alumnae funding. All organizations have dues they pay, and it doesn't mean they are paying for their friends. Ask someone on a club soccer team why they pay to be a member of the team, and it's the same deal.
I hope this article is able to spark a positive conversation about Greek life and that those not in Greek life feel comfortable posing questions and concerns they have. I'm so lucky to be a member of my sisterhood, and I hope this article was able to shine a light on what Greek life is really like.
