“I don’t need to pay for my friends.”

“I’m not a sorority girl.”

“My older sister was in a sorority, and she told me not to do it.”

“I’ve seen Greek life in the media too much to join a sorority.”

“I don’t have the time to join a sorority.”

“My sister quit her sorority because she was too busy.”

“I’d rather join an academic group.”

“My friends won’t rush with me, so I’m not going to join a sorority yet.”

I have heard all of these statements and more when I ask girls if they have ever thought about going Greek. The only thing I can ever think in response is that these girls are simply, sadly, misguided. What irks me to no end is the girls that think they don't need a sorority. Hopefully, this will clear up those misconceptions.

Greeks are a community. There are fraternities and sororities, all represented by a different set of Greek letters. Each organization stands for different core values and serves a different philanthropy or charity, but in general we all stand for similar ideals.

For example, the three sororities at Lamar are Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, and Zeta Tau Alpha. We have different mottos (“Real, Strong Women,” “We Live for Each Other,” and “Seek the Noblest”). We have different philanthropies for which we fundraise (Domestic Violence Awareness, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Breast Cancer Awareness). We wear different letters, different colors, and have different creeds that we follow, but we are all Greek, and we all believe in becoming the best versions of ourselves.

Sororities value school spirit and involvement. They value scholarship and academics, often competing for the highest GPA on campus. Community service and volunteering is also a big focus.

The girls who join sororities are girls who want to do more than the average college student. They want to succeed- Greeks statistically have higher GPAs and graduate more often than non-Greeks. They want to serve- charities across the nation would lack millions of dollars and thousands of hours of girls volunteering their time and effort without Greek life. They want to stand out- wearing letter shirts, walking in big groups, laughing, having solid, steady friendships that are visible even to strangers, and always having a strong presence on campus (in class, in other organizations, and on the Dean’s List/President’s List, to name a few places) sets sorority girls apart from regular students.

So, sorority girls volunteer a lot, make higher than normal grades, and help charities. But if that’s all people see, they are missing the most important aspect of sorority life.

Sororities are, first and foremost, a sisterhood.

As someone who used to make fun of the girls that called their sorority friends their sisters and talked about how much they loved each other, I am embarrassed now. Because the moment I ran to Alpha Delta Pi on Bid Day, I referred to everyone as my sister, and I posted an annoying amount on social media about how much I love them. “This is my sister” became a common phrase when I introduced other girls in my sorority to my friends. I said “I love my sisters” so much that one day my friend from high school pointed it out to me in a conversation about how college was going. And I am not ashamed, because I have really and truly joined a group of girls that I love unconditionally, with my whole heart, just like we love our siblings. We share a ritual, something that has lasted since long before even my great-great-grandmother was born. We volunteer together, we hold meetings together, we go out together, we study together, we stay in together, we eat together, we play Pokemon GO! together and even join the same team (yellow, of course) so we can defend gyms together (or we would, if some people would hurry and level up,) we have sleepovers, we shop together, we ban each other from shopping in order to save money, we work to pay dues together (because it gets expensive,) we take classes together, and we hang out between classes in the student center together. We are a group of girls that understands that there is no need to compete among ourselves; there is only a need to build each other up, support each other, and give each other strength.

I feel sorry for girls who feel no need to go Greek. I feel sorry for girls who feel no need to better themselves in this way, because joining a sorority has been the best thing I have ever done for myself.

Is my sorority expensive? Yes. But do I pay for my friends? If I do, I do not pay enough.

We pay dues in order to hold formals, mixers, casuals, sisterhood events, order t-shirts to wear to homecoming and on bid day, give gifts to our new members, donate to other Greeks’ philanthropy events, buy things needed for our ritual, to have photoshoots and have a place to hold meetings and workshops, to get snacks for those workshops, to travel to leadership seminars and conventions, to hold formal recruitment, and more. We pay to have fun together and to grow as leaders together. We pay to hold philanthropy events and help others put on their own philanthropy events.

I pay to do things with my sisters, but my sisters themselves are priceless.

I devote hours each week to my sisters, but they help me study and encourage me to better manage my time. When I get on Pinterest instead of studying for an upcoming quiz, my roommate (who is also my sister) and another sister who comes to our dorm every day, tell me to get off the computer and open my textbook. I get dragged to the library when I want to take a nap. And I do the same for them.

When I feel too tired to get out and volunteer on Saturday mornings, there is always someone to guilt me into getting out of bed and getting ready to serve. When I feel particularly lazy or down, I always have motivation because I want to see my sisters and enjoy the time we have together while we’re in college. When I want to watch one more episode of GossipGirl instead of being productive, I hesitate and start cleaning my room instead because I know I have to wait for my sister to watch it with me.

My sorority has made me better.

I take a minimum of 15 hours each semester. I am involved in four other organizations on campus, and I have to keep my GPA above a 3.5 to maintain my scholarship. I have more than one job. I have a family who gets together almost daily and would like for me to be there. I have neat freak tendencies, so I deep clean my entire dorm every other day. Instead of using “I’m too busy” as an excuse to not get involved, I have taken on an executive position in my sorority, and I have learned to manage time better than I ever have in my life.

The more I have given to my sorority, the more my sorority has given me. I would not trade a second of my experience for more free time to watch Netflix or take naps. I would not trade a second of my experience for a few off days or a less stressful daytime schedule. I would not trade one second of my experience for anything, because my experience has made me grow more than anything else I've tried in my life.

My sorority has made me better, and I want every girl in the world to be able to experience this.