From the outside looking in, Greek Life can seem kind of clique-y. We appear to hang out with each other frequently. There seems to be nothing we like to do more than party. Greek Life is negatively stereotyped. Lack of understanding is what allows these stereotypes to thrive, and it's hard to look past those stereotypes if you're at the falsely construed aspects.

Here are four Greek Life stereotypes that people perceive to be fact.

1. All Greek Life does is party.
   It will be fair to admit that people in Greek Life do party, but we do so much more than that. While maintaining a cumulative GPA that is higher than the all-campus GPA, Greek Life also gives back to their community. Greek Life, as a whole, completed over three million community service hours during the 2013-2014 school year. Over $20 million has also been donated to philanthropies.
2. We pay for our friends.
   While it may seem that we are paying for our friends, our dues go towards things such as shirts, participation in philanthropic events and socials. The money just doesn’t up and disappear. It funds our organization's events and programs. Also, people in Greek Life have friends outside of it. We understand the need for a diverse social group and strive to have just that.
3. Hazing happens everywhere and to everyone who join.
   I will be the first to admit that this is a serious problem within Greek Life. There are hundreds of fraternity and sorority chapters out there, but it only takes one to mess up a good name. Most fraternities and sororities take hazing seriously and have a zero tolerance for it. Schools act fast at first wind of hazing. They will more than likely suspend an organization or kick them off campus depending on the severity of the accusation. It is encouraged that a person reports hazing to the proper official. You could end up saving a life.
4. You have to fit in to get in.
   In fraternities and sororities, we encourage you to just be yourself. We work to have diverse groups with people who bring a different perspective. We just want to see you grow and become the best person that you can be. You will meet people within Greek Life that feel like the missing piece to the giant puzzle that is life. They allow you to be yourself and stand behind you through everything that you choose to do.

So you see, Greek Life may get a bad rap for what goes on in the media, but why let that spoil the whole bunch. We may seem weird, off-putting, or maybe even shallow to you, and we get that. But you need to go beyond the surface and ignore the stereotypes. I would know because I fought through the same thoughts during my first two years in college. Soon enough, I got to know people within Greek organizations and eventually joined my own because I found the right group.

Now instead of knocking it, how about going through the recruitment process and actually get to know some of these people.