I made the mistake of googling “sorority girls.” Being in a sorority, this shouldn’t be a scary subject; it certainly should not be something that makes me cringe when I do a google search. Yet and still, the articles that came up were, to say the least, sexist and heavily-stereotypical. In fact, one of the top three links is an Urban Dictionary definition of sorority girls.

I am not a sorority girl. I will say that up and down and sideways: I am not a sorority girl, at least not according to what society has defined as a “sorority girl.” However, I’m happy to say that none of my sisters are “sorority girls.” In fact, I have yet to meet a woman, who is proud to wear her letters, who walks around campus in a bikini and fails every class that she takes, forcing herself to major in fashion marketing.

Don’t get me wrong, before I knew what Greek life was about, I thought that the representations that the media gives of girls in sorority houses was true. It’s part of the reason that I was terrified of the whole process of Rush, part of the reason that I was hesitant to attach myself to those labels, and the biggest reason that I almost backed away from the greatest decision I made coming into college.

I, and others before me have said that sorority girls are not their stereotypes, yet Google is still filled with false information. Coming from a girl who believed articles like these that tell horror stories about being in a sorority, it makes you second guess whether or not you want to step foot into a sorority house. It also terrifies your parents and leads to lots of conversations about what’s real and what’s not real about being a “sorority girl.”

My sorority has not turned me into a “sorority girl.” It has not taken anything away from me, it has not made me a different person - at least not in ways that I dislike. And it certainly has not made me lose my values for the opportunity to wear a pair of letters.

So what has my sorority done to me?

My sorority has given me confidence.

To be fair, Kappa Delta is all about instilling confidence in women, but in general, the idea of being surrounded by a group of women who share your passions is inspiring. I am reminded every day that I step onto my campus that there are women around me, not only from my sorority but from others, who share a passion for working with kids, for helping others, and for being leaders on campus.

My sorority has given me leadership opportunities.

I like being in charge. I like leading things. I like knowing that I get to plan, schedule, and communicate with others about things. I love being a leader. Being in a sorority means that you are opened up to a an abundance of opportunities to lead, from officer positions to the way that sisters help you find your place in leadership on campus. It makes those who are leadership crazy, like me, happy.

My sorority has helped me grow.

I don’t like change, and I’m not a fan of being away from home. Coming to college was a terrifying experience, but my sorority has made me want to branch out more often. Being in a sorority has helped me meet new people and experience things that I would never have before, such as working hands on with Girl Scouts, and getting to give back to my community.

My sorority has given me my family.

I have such an amazing support system, something that started developing the moment that I walked into the Kappa Delta house on pref day (this is where I have to say an honorary thank you to Paige.) I’ve met sisters who encourage me to go beyond what I expect of myself, sisters who know exactly when I need to eat ice cream and cry, and sisters who will just sit with me while I take an online test. Even though I’m an hour and a half from my family, I know my home is only a few minutes up the road when I’m here.

My sorority has made me a better version of myself.

I don’t say this lightly. I don’t say this jokingly. My sorority has given me so much confidence and love that I have realized which parts of myself are better than others and how to continue to better myself. My sorority has taught me that it’s okay to fail as long as you use it as a motivation for success. My sorority has taught me that the support of your sisters can help you win anything - even Greek Week. My sorority has taught me that the best version of yourself is the version that you believe in.

Because of my sorority, I am so many things. I am confident, I am a leader, I am growing and spreading my wings, I am surrounded by people who love me, and I am striving to become the best version of myself.