Greek life as a whole is a wonderful community that does amazing things for so many people every year. Some of my closest friends belong to Greek chapters, and as I watch them live their lives full of chapter meetings and committee meetings and philanthropy events and lip syncs and semi-formals, I find myself wondering what my life would have been like had I chosen that path.
Greek life is the best part of some people's lives. I completely respect everything that the organizations stand for and represent. However, as much as I wonder sometimes what my life would have been like, I stand by the decision that I made as a freshman not to sign up for recruitment.
In the same way that some people are meant to play sports and some are not and some are meant to be involved in arts and some are not, some people are made for Greek life. And some, myself included, are not. That does not mean that the organizations as a whole are "bad," it simply means that I didn't choose that path.
Social sororities and fraternities are largely meant for incoming college students to find their "group." They help the scared freshman find a place to belong, something bigger to be a part of and their "home" while away at school. I had all this wrapped up in the music program. I had a place to belong to. I found my friends and my place to belong to and I didn't feel the need to look any further. I was home.
Perhaps the biggest reason that I didn't join was the time. I love being involved in things—so much so that I find myself in situations where I have five performances in one weekend, an audition then next, and another two performances the weekend after that. To say I am busy is an understatement—I am downright over-involved. I can't be involved in Greek life because I simply don't have the time. I don't like participating in things that I can't fully commit to, and to pledge my time to an organization when I know I am not going to be able to be at every meeting, participate in every event, or contribute to the chapter as a whole would be completely unfair.
I did not choose not to join because of anything self-righteous. I didn't think I was "better" than it. And—this is incredibly important—I did not choose not to join because of the typical anti-Greek stereotypes that float around. The decision was purely personal.
Some of my closest friends belong to Greek chapters, and I've witnessed all of the amazing things they have been a part of. For them, it is life-changing, something they use to identify themselves, and something they are incredibly proud to be involved in, and I think that's amazing.
But it's just not for me.
I didn't go Greek, and that's okay.
But whoever you are, wherever you fit, go out and find your "home," because in one way or another it's out there. Maybe it's music or theatre, maybe it's sports, maybe it's a club, maybe it's Greek life, or maybe it's just a group of close friends. Do what's right for you to find your place.
