Diversity has always been a large part of my identity. As a biracial high school senior from Arizona, I was often warned that the midwest wouldn’t be “comfortable” for someone who wasn’t white. Having lived most of my life in a pretty homogeneously caucasian part of town, I figured this wouldn’t bother me. I assumed the same might be true for Greek life, but decided that I was going to go through with rush. Worst case scenario I would make new friends through the process, and at best, I would end up in the right house with my new best friends.
As soon as I disclosed to my family and friends my decision to rush, I was met with the same reaction, that I had received when initially solidifying my decision to head to Wisconsin. However this time, the discouragement was much stronger.
“There’s no way you’ll fit into a sorority,” and “Do you really want to be surrounded by 200 blondes the next 4 years?” were common responses when I let people know that I would be going through recruitment.
I’ve always been incredibly strong willed, independent and determined- I tend to take what others say with a grain of salt and go after what I want. But after hearing so many horror stories about minorities who decided to rush a non-multicultural Greek organization, I really began to second guess my decision to the point where I decided to drop recruitment a week before it even started.
During the week that followed, I really threw myself into my other involvements on campus. I became a co-chair of the multiracial scholarship program I’m involved in, got ahead in my classes, and started thinking about how I wanted to spend my time on campus. As Greek orientation grew closer, I figured that I might as well attend the first day. After all, I’d already paid!
The day arrived and hesitantly, I made my way over to the theater with my roommate, who had decided last minute to rush and was also unsure. Walking into the orientation was my first, and definitely not my last experience with extreme sensory overload that week. Music was blasting, people were screaming, and I’d never seen so many girls having such a good time. My roommate was in a separate group, so I was on my own now, but I was far from lonely. Four Rho Gammas were standing at the edge of my group, jumping up and down, singing, and welcoming me to my first ever greek event.
Looking around I could tell that what I had been warned about was for the most part true; the population in the room reflected the population of the state, primarily white with a few scattered minorities. But no one was noticing that; everyone was too busy smiling, laughing, and talking about how they had no idea what to wear for each round. I smiled, realizing that this was a place I would definitely fit in, and I joined in on the conversations.
Going through each round I discovered more and more that if you take the time to talk to the individuals involved in the UW-Madison greek system you’ll discover that it’s probably the most diverse group of students you could find on campus.
Their diversity goes deeper than their race, though there are many more men and woman involved of all ethnicities than I’d originally presumed. I spoke with girls from California to New York, and every state in between. Their majors ranged from engineering to poli sci; english to biology. No matter what club on campus you chose to join, and regardless of which religious organization you may belong to, you’re bound to find a number of different Greek houses represented in all aspects of campus life.
When it came time for me to choose a house, I felt confident that I had made the right decision of following through with my original intention of rushing. I also knew exactly which house I belonged in, because I knew that they’d accept me completely for who I am.
My advice for any student considering rushing is just like every other sorority girl’s advice- just do it! But I want to take that advice a step further and speak directly to any girl who feels they don’t fit the standard image of a “picture perfect” sorority girl. Don’t change a single thing about who you are in order to fit a preconceived notion of who you think a "Greek girl" should be. Each house is an individual with a personality that’s eager to get to know yours. I never once straightened my untamable curly hair and spent most of my time in houses talking about my favorite shows to binge on Netflix and my love for yoga and travel. Above all, I held onto my belief that everything happens for a reason.
When bid day finally came, I knew which house my card would read. I had known since the first day which one I belonged in. Seeing everyone in my group that I had grown close with open their cards and watching their smiles grow was one of the coolest feelings I’d ever experienced- there truly was a house for every unique girl.
So in response to the question I was once asked, “Do you really want to be surrounded by 200 blondes the next 4 years?” the answer is yes. Only there aren’t just 200 blonde girls; there are blondes, brunettes, and (several) red heads. There are future Doctors, lawyers, scientists, and teachers. We have singers and dancers, runners and swimmers, and some pretty hardcore crafters. Some girls are introverted, some are extroverted, and many fall somewhere in between.
In my short time that I’ve been involved in greek life, I truly haven’t felt any different than any other new pledge because the way I look or where I come from. We are all so diverse, and heading in a million different directions, but we are all united through our love for our chapter. There is no group of girls I “fit into” better than a group of girls who are all completely different.