When I first arrived on the campus on Southern Illinois University, I had absolutely no intention of going Greek. I didn't want to belong to an organization of ditzy drunk girls who relied on daddy for their money. Before I even finished unpacking my dorm room, I decided I was not a sorority material. I was convinced they would take one look at my dirty Chucks and slam the door in my face. However, I ended up going through recruitment as a favor for a friend from high school.
As it turns out, she was the one that did me the favor.
Being in a sorority was the best decision could have possibly made in college. I can't be more blunt or cliche about that one. I didn't have to try to make friends or find things to do. It was already built into the whole experience. There were people to eat with, study with, volunteer with, laugh with, and every odd errand and heartbreak in between. I had a support system...with matching t-shirts of course!
While I was in college I knew the benefits of joining a greek organization, but it wasn't until I graduated and began "adulting" did I realize how much I benefited from that group of whacky, intelligent, hilarious, bold group of women I call my sisters.
No matter where I go, there are people who judge me for being in a member of a sorority because of the stereotypes that are often associated. People can believe what they want, but they what they don't know how many important life skills I perfected because of my membership. These are the skills I learned in four short years that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
1. Time Management.
I cannot stress this enough. Being a college student is hard. You need to manage your time in order to get your assignments done in a timely manner while also studying for exams and working on projects. Now add weekly meetings, community service hours, organized activities, lectures, and every other little thing sororities do into the mix. I also worked about 25 hours a week. You have the time. Manage it. Own it and you will be successful.
2. How to master an interview.
Anyone who has ever been through a sorority recruitment should be a master at job interviews. You need to do your research on the sororities (and the girls trying to join) before going through recruitment just as you would for a new job. You learn to master first impressions. Your introduction smile is killer, and your handshake would make your grandfather proud. Let's just say every time I've interviewed for a position, I've gotten the job.
3.How to dress appropriately for the occasion.
Pin attire teaches you what is appropriate for the office and what is not. Sweat pants are for informal meeting and sisterhoods, formal attire is for formals (how redundant), and matching t-shirts are for all occasions.
4. How to be assertive
When you are a member of a sorority, you actually have a lot of say as to what goes on. This is what your weekly meetings are for. If there is something you want the chapter to do or if you don't like how something is being done, you need to be able to bring it up during a meeting, and defend your argument while respecting other points of view. This is a skill that you will use for the rest of your life no matter what career path you choose.
5. How to be punctual
Fifteen minutes early is on time, on time is late, and late in unacceptable.
6. How to pick your battles
Working with a large group of girls can result in a lot of pettiness. You need to be able to decide when it is worth your time and the cause to argue something. Really decide if bringing up the subject is worth the back and forth. Don't bicker over every little thing. This goes not only for your sorority sisters but your lazy coworkers and your power hungry bosses as well.
7. How to become friends with people who are very different from yourself
You will have to interact with people who are nothing like you on a daily basis. Get to know them. Befriend them. You will learn so much from them and in return learn a lot about yourself. My best friends from my sorority are all very unique from one another, and I am so thankful for it. It helped me be more patient and understanding with people, and that it is important to learn their stories to really appreciate them as individuals.
8. How to hold a leadership position, and hold it well.
Anyone can be voted into a leadership position. It's how you work in that position that says a lot about you. If you are fortunate enough to hold a leadership position in a greek organization and do it well, you will be so much better for it.
I learned the difference between business and personal. I also learned that it is important to be stern but flexible and understanding. You have to learn how to be good cop and bad cop at the same time. In real world leadership roles, this still applies.
9. How to work with people who don't see eye to eye with you.
You are not going to be friends with everyone you meet. It took my a while to realize that I cannot be best friends with all 80 girls at the same time, and it's okay to dislike some people. However, you need to learn how to be civil with people you don't like and still be able to work along side them. It's important to remember that even if this person is a douche canoe, you're still (hopefully) working towards the same goals. If you act petty at work towards someone you don't like, guess who is getting canned? I'll give you a hint: it's not asshat over there with his feet on his desk.
10. How to grow as a person.
I can't really put this to words, but being a sorority taught me how to appreciate personal growth and how to learn from my mistakes. It taught me how to learn from others and to feed off the good qualities of other people. In the real world, personal growth is just as important. Not just in your personal life, but in every single aspect.
If you asked me what I thought I could learn from being in a sorority when I was 18 I would have said something along the lines of "how to get wasted and hook up with guys." Five years later I now know that it is so much more than fun times and crazy nights. I am so thankful I decided to go through recruitment. I may not have been Suzy Sig Kap, but I am a better person because of my time with my sorority. I whole-heartedly believe I would not have been as successful as I am had I not joined a sorority. So here's to you, my sisters, whether in my sorority or another chapter, thank you for teaching me in more ways than I could have ever imagined.
