We go to a school where we are surrounded by diversity. I think it's really hard to spot who is in Greek life and who is not because everyone is so different in so many ways. There is so much hate directed towards Greek life, and while I used to always sit back and listen and never try to argue, I want to at least let people know why I think it's special.
Yes, we pay dues. Yes, some girls wear Lilly Pulitzer, but hey, some girls wear dresses in Chacos, but you don't see anyone (me) writing hate about them. Stop judging an organization by what they wear. Stop criticizing members of an organization for what they choose to pay for. Doing so makes you just as shallow as you claim people in Greek life are. I didn't choose to go through recruitment my freshman year, in fact, I was one of those people who thought it just wasn't for me.
After my ex-boyfriend broke my heart (dramatic, I know) the summer before Sophomore year, I was desperate for something new. I had a friend who kept asking me to go through recruitment with her, so I finally decided to do it, and it was the best decision I could have ever made. My sorority, and everyone I have met through it, will always have a special place in my heart. Greek life at Appalachian is special, and here are a couple of reasons why.
1. It's small.
Greek life at Appalachian is very small. I'm a member of the largest sorority on campus with about 130 members, which doesn't even come close to the amount other sororities at other schools have. By having a smaller group of people, you are able to really get to know everyone. I know the names of every single girl in my sorority and can honestly say I have been able to share special moments with most of them in one short year. It also makes you closer to people in other sororities and fraternities. Some of my best friends are not in the same sorority as me and we get along just fine. The Greek community is so small that everyone sticks together and hangs out with each other! Crazy! I know.
2. People truly care.
Surprise! We don't sit around and talk crap about each other 24/7 as people think. In fact, whenever trouble arises, your sisters, or brothers, will be the first to love and support you. My second semester of Sophomore year was probably one of the most dramatic semesters I have ever had, actually, my whole Sophomore year was. When I was faced with troubles with my older sister, the first people who helped me were three girls in my sorority. The president of my sorority, being one of my best friends, took care of my sister like she was her own, and for that I will forever be grateful. These people become your family and will have your back no matter what, sometimes literally, as in, they will carry you up three flights of stairs on their back if they have to (thanks, Aud).
3. Friendships are instant and lifelong.
I met one of my best friends during recruitment. It was an instant friendship, no joke. Oh, also, get this: my friends are weird. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, how could girls that are in a sorority also be weird? Don't they have to be normal and boring? Ask anyone, my friends are some of the weirdest and funniest people on this planet. I would bet the whole $11 in my bank account to prove it. I made my first friend during a Sisterhood round of recruitment because I told her I liked lizards, and she thought that was cool. Then, she told me her underwear was uncomfortable and her dress was too tight. I laughed and told her she looked like a flight attendant. I felt so comfortable around her that I almost let spill that she reminded me of the flight attendant Barbie I used to have when I was little, but I thought it was too soon. A few months pass by, and she's on a plane to Puerto Rico with me to meet my family. The point is, no matter what organization you join, you will find someone who gets you, and you will find instant best friends that make you feel weird and special.
4. It doesn't take over your life.
Contrary to popular belief, being in a sorority or fraternity does not take over your life. While yes, it is time consuming and there is a lot you should put into it, the reward you get out of it is worth it. Even if you decided to hold a position, you have time to do other things. If you want to hear something impressive, last semester the president of my sorority was not only the president of our sorority but she was an Appol Corps coordinator, assistant coach for the Varsity soccer team at Watauga High School, and an Elementary Education major, which required her to student teach. Woah! She's crazy, but it's proof that you can do a million things at once. She was also still able to hang out with us on the weekends. I know what you're thinking, "This girl is in love with her president." She's just a very impressive person.
5. You are held to a standard.
This is only for the best of you. What I mean with this is that you don't get away with getting naked at a party or passing out at the bar because you're too drunk. You are held responsible for your actions, and while I know this sounds negative, it's actually really positive! I'm one of those girls who made mistakes early on when joining my sorority, while they never involved getting naked or passing out at the bar, they involved me reflecting poorly on my sorority. I didn't quite understand yet that I was a part of something bigger than myself. Your actions reflect on everyone else. If you jumped off a bridge, all of your sisters did too. That's how everyone else sees it. It teaches you to be cautious of your actions and understand that while, yes, being wild and crazy is cool, keeping your crap together is even cooler.
6. No one fits the stereotype.
This is the most special quality of Appalachian's Greek life. No one forces you to be a stereotype because no one fits one. I truly mean this. A lot of people think that just because you wear certain letters on your shirt means you are automatically a stereotype. No one is the stereotype at Appalachian because, well, it's Appalachian, and you never know what you're going to get. Also, no one wears stitched letter shirts unless there's a special occasion. And Jack Rogers aren't required, just, like, FYI. I am friends with girls who are always decked out in Lilly, and I'm also friends with girls who don't like to wear bras or shoes to class. I don't care if you're ADPi, Alpha Phi, Delta Zeta, or whatever sorority you are in. In fact, no one does. Rock your letters loud and proud and be whoever you want to be because these stereotypes don't fit anyone, so who cares? The only stereotype you will ever fit is the Appalachian one, and you will fit it with pride—'neer pride. And that, my friends, is the lamest, but truest, sentence I have ever written. Goodnight.
