A long overdue correction to those who perceive Greek life as superficial and obscene:

Time and time again, I hear those words come out of someone's mouth: "I just don't see why anyone would want to pay for their friends," or some good ole' stabs at my stomach regarding how - all Greek life is concerned about is socials, drinking, and getting laid. Well my friends, you are, what we like to say, "drinking the kool-aid."

You may think those in the Greek community are nothing but ignorant, arrogant and shallow human beings who have too much money to know what to do with so we "buy our friends." I can assure you, you're ignorant for assuming and buying into the perception the media gives off. You're definitely arrogant because you're judging a community of people who would be more than happy to give you some of their time. You are without a doubt, shallow, given that you are only seeing the Greek Community for the social aspect of it, whereas those of us lucky enough to be a part of it, see it as a community of dedicated, hardworking students coming together as a whole to raise money for numerous incredible causes.

You may sit in your dorm/apartment/house and dwell on how sad it is that we pay thousands of dollars a semester for people we won't talk to after college, but I'm okay with that. To me, that is just a theory from a small minded person. Instead of wasting away my day, like you, I am working with extravagant minds in my sorority house every day trying to figure out what would be a most beneficial source of funding so we can give the absolute largest amount possible to our philanthropy. Or while you're trying to cash in as many of your unlimited swipes to the dining hall as possible before the semester ends, I am instead giving up a meal I pay for in my dues to donate our chapter's dinner money to another sorority's philanthropy event, because every single chapter in the Panhellenic community is making strides to do something great for someone or something even greater.

You may not see the positive impact Greek life makes on the community, but I do. You may just see a few girls talking about what to wear to dance marathon, but I see a sorority's dance marathon team strategizing on how to raise as much money as possible for the kids. You may just see girls obsessing over fraternities for a week straight, but I see Panhellenic women striving to help a fraternity reach fundraising goals that they could only dream of obtaining. You may have just seen Waka Flocka performing at your college's venue, but I saw four fraternities come together to raise over $30,000, split it evenly, and donate their share to each of their individual philanthropies aside from their main philanthropy event. You may just see groups of people dancing on a stage in an event called "Zeta Lip Sync," but I see a record broken for most money raised in the Panhellenic community and $23,000 gained towards Breast Cancer Education and Awareness.

No one single philanthropy event held by an organization belonging to the Greek community is exclusive to "Greeks only" and it is, in fact, encouraged for anyone to come and enjoy what the event has to offer, in addition to the rewarding feeling of knowing your money went to a greater good. My words are not intended to offend or suggest Greek life is in any way superior, but to show that there is more to Greek Life than what the movies, news and other media outlets present us to be.