I'd like to ask a favor of you. If you don't mind, would you take a moment and picture something in your head? I'd like for you to picture what you would call a typical sorority girl. Got it? Okay, awesome! Now, let me guess...she's blonde, with tan skin covered by a brightly colored Lilly Pulitzer dress, making her way to a frat house for yet another weekend party. Don't ask her where the library is, she probably won't know. She's surrounded by her sisters, who look exactly like her, and they're having a very in depth conversation about which shoe they plan to wear to the next football game. If this is what you have pictured, then congratulations, you've successfully described what society deems a 'typical sorority girl'. The jokes on you though, because you're also totally wrong. It's not entirely your fault, certain cinematic pieces paired with websites such as "Total Sorority Move" helped shape this idea for you. As an actual sorority girl, let me clear some of these misconceptions up for you.
"Sorority girls don't even belong in classes, they only came to college for their MRS degree."
Well, that's a slap straight to the face. Contrary to what you may believe, many sorority girls put their academics above everything else--including the sorority. In fact, there are GPA requirements to join and even remain in greek organizations. I have sisters who are regulars on the Dean's List, will graduate with honors, hold major internships, and will hold degrees that are above and beyond the "Mrs" degree you claim we strive for. As if that wasn't insulting enough, you actually believe we'd pay thousands of dollars to attend a university for the sole purpose of searching for a spouse? HA. While I'm sure we'll all make outstanding wives someday, first we have to finish up medical school so we can get you the medical help you need for whatever craziness led you to believe such things about us.
"You're more likely to see a flying pig than a sorority girl in the library on a Saturday night."
Wooooooooow that's funny. Back to what I was saying above, we place more value on academics than society leads you to believe. We attend tutoring, log study hours, group up with sisters in similar classes/majors, and spend countless hours in the library. We hate to disappoint, but for many of us, partying is at the bottom of our priority list. So while you're busy scanning the room for girls wearing letters so you can Yik Yak about how rare of a sighting that is, we'll be preparing for that test you haven't studied for yet.
"Talk about a selfish bunch...sorority girls don't care about anyone or anything but themselves."
*eye roll* Seriously? My sorority holds three philanthropies and works hard to raise thousands of dollars for them every year. Every sorority has at least one. You hear that? We're working for THEM not US. We plan several events and fundraisers throughout the year to bring attention and awareness to our philanthropies. So next time you see a sorority tabling on campus, consider actually stopping and, I don't know, maybe supporting the cause we care so deeply about?
"Don't try talking to them, everybody knows sorority girls are only friends with Greeks...that's fine though, they pay for all their friends any way."
L O L. This is probably one of the most common stereotypes associated with sororities. Yes, we are friends with our sisters and yes, we have many friends in other Greek organizations. However, that does not mean "you can't sit with us" if you don't have letters to call your own. That's ridiculous. Some of my best friends aren't in Greek life at all! We do have lives outside of the sorority you know. And the whole "you pay for your friends" thing, that's a bunch of bologna. If I paid for my friends, then I surely didn't pay enough. The friendships I've gained through this organization are worth WAY more than all of my dues combined.
"Daddy pays for everything."
Would you look at that, you're wrong again. I'm fortunate enough that my parents do pay my dues, but I'm just one person. That doesn't mean the same is true for all of my sisters. A large portion of them pay their own dues, and work hard to be able to do so. Not everything is hand-fed to us on a silver spoon like society would lead you to believe, we work for what we have and are beyond thankful for it.
"They're all the same...blonde, Lilly-wearing, fake girly girls."
Unlike what you're doing right now, my sorority encourages me to be an individual, and to not try to fit a cookie cutter mold. We are not all the same, and we do not try to be. We embrace what makes us different, and celebrate that. Yes I am blonde. That doesn't mean every one of my sisters are. I do not own a single stitch of Lilly clothing. Some of my sisters would rather be in camouflage than in a dress. I hate to go Cheetah Girls on you but we really do "make up one big family though we don't look the same."
