I was a freshman when a new chapter of Alpha Xi Delta was being colonized at my school. I was reluctant to join at first; I was listening to the naysayers and I didn't think I was cut out for a sorority. But when I went out for recruitment, I knew with 100 percent certainty that this was the sorority for me. In this chapter, there was no stereotypes. No "sorority girl" mentality. This chapter was created and based off of true sisterhood, friendship, and fun times, making this the perfect fit for me.
Becoming a founding member was the most rewarding and exciting experience, and I don't know how I ever did life without it. But as a founding member of a chapter, I have heard the works from fraternity men who think they're entitled, sorority women who are territorial about their 20-year foundation on campus, or just people who hate Greek life, in general. Fraternities and sororities alike colonize tens of chapters a semester, making this a common ground. This is my ode to my girls; thank you for sticking with me through this journey so far. Ya'll rock.
"Are you considered a real sorority/fraternity? Because anyone can join, can't they?"
Much like your organizations, they all start somewhere. Some chose another path and joined an organization who's been founded on a campus for 20-plus years. But I can tell you, your organization didn't just start out of the blue from the heavens of the gods above. Anyone can join a sorority or fraternity or any other organization. You know why? Because we're grown members of society and if someone is a down-to-Earth, genuinely nice person and knows how to bathe themselves, chances are, they have a good opportunity of joining ours and any other organization on campus.
"So, you didn't get hazed?"
No. That doesn't, however, discredit anything, especially because hazing is illegal federally, in your state, at your college, and through any and all organizations, meaning that even if hazing was still accepted, how would that even work? None of that makes sense to me or pertains at all to founding a chapter.
"Well the other sororities/fraternities haze."
*read above*
"What exactly do you guys do? Don't you just show up?"
The fact that I have actually had some people say this to me before shows how little they know about the ins and outs of Greek life in general. Not only is the founding class creating the chapter's new bylaws and constitution, they're also attending chapter every week, along with committee meetings, new member education programming, establishing the philanthropy, starting they're new chair positions which are completely foreign to everyone, and still needing time for homework, other organizations and clubs, jobs and internships. So, no, you don't just show up.
"I didn't even know you were a sorority/fraternity."
Also see: "I thought you were in [other fully established sorority on campus]."
This comes from individuals mostly in Greek life, who are trying to bring you down to compensate for their own insecurities of being a member in their own organization. Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.
"So everyone who's founding are just the ones who didn't get picked during rush?"
Okay, first, there are a few members in every founding chapter who went out for formal recruitment or rush before deciding to found a chapter. Whether they didn't get picked, pledged another organization and dropped soon after, or didn't think any of the organizations were a right fit for them, that all doesn't matter. Right now, in this present moment, in this organization, those individuals fit this chapter and fit with us. If you want to use that as a way to insult me because you clearly have nothing better to say then I say to you that most of our chapter never even went through rush before. And I can tell you that as someone who's not only colonized a chapter at her own college, but helped colonize a chapter at another college. To be honest, that naivety to Greek life allows us to build together.
My sorority, we're not just new. We're not girls picked up from the street. We're leaders in our community, brave enough to do something as bold as founding a new chapter on a university campus. Brave enough to forget about what people say, forget about the stigma, and forget about judgements. Brave enough to believe in a legacy and follow it through 100%. Brave enough to stick through, side-by-side with the women like us, to create something bigger than ourselves. Brave enough to face our first recruitment, our first Greek Week, our first social, our first philanthropy event. Brave enough to be ourselves and to not have to live up to stereotypes or tradition of the campus. Brave enough to change campus and Greek life, for the better. That's why we're founding members.
