Recently on social media and through a very popular women’s magazine, it seems as if sororities aren’t all they are cracked up to be. I personally believe the negative viewpoints come from people that don’t truly understand what being in a Greek Organization means, people that had a bad experience with whatever organization they decided to affiliate with, or people that just believe what they see on social media (it’s a very one-sided view point, might I add.) I am not here to be the advocate for all Greeks across the nation, but I am tired of all sororities being lumped together and being treated like they are the worst thing in the world, because they aren’t.

I have always wanted to be in a sorority. I grew up in Texas and ended up moving to New York for college, and I was terrified. In Texas, I knew sorority life was the life for me; something about those southern "srat" mansions captivated me along with all the girls that seemed to have their lives completely together (I now know they all sit on their beds with mix-matched pjs eating ice cream out of jars and crying so hard over "The Notebook" that mascara runs down their faces.)

When I moved to New York, I saw there wasn’t a Greek Row and Greek Life here has a whole new meaning. To be honest, I thought that going Greek in New York wasn’t going to go well for me. Obviously I was going to have different life stories and viewpoints and was terrified that I would be hated for what I believed. I never thought I’d actually end up getting a bid. But I did, I was initiated into the most amazing sorority, and am thankful everyday for that. It has become my home away from home. I have over 50 wonderful sisters that are there for me whenever I need them.

I know this all seems stereotypical, because how can you just click with 50 random people, right? And honestly I can't answer that question. It's like I walked in a room and just knew it was where I belonged. People think sororities are made up of girls buying friends and who are pretty and fit that Barbie doll mol. Let me be the first to say I am not a Barbie doll-looking kind of girl (well maybe now that there’s a curvy one) but my sisters give me confidence like no one ever has before they make me feel beautiful even if I am walking around in sweatpants, UGG boots, and my Jonas Brothers t-shirt from 6th grade.

There’s also the misconception that all sorority girls do is party and that they aren’t intelligent—that we are in college looking for our Mrs. degree. If you truly believe that I am paying dues, attending chapter, and spending countless hours at philanthropy events all to get a guy, you are sorely mistaken. I have made to bright a future for myself to waste it on some guy that may or may not have his life together. So what about the parties? Sororities aren’t even allowed to throw parties, and trust me you don’t want to get caught with whatever fine that may come from being at parties, and you definitely don’t want to be sent to Standards. Being in a sorority isn’t about partying, it’s about making yourself a better person, it’s about giving back to your community, and most of all it’s about being a compassionate person to all walks of life.

Sororities all across the nation are raising money for people that have been victims of domestic violence, helping deaf or hearing-impaired people get hearing aids/implants at no cost to them, working with children that have special needs and partnering with the Special Olympics, and so many more philanthropies that I can’t even list. To those of you that call us shallow, that think we aren’t making a difference in the world, why don’t you ask those that we have helped? We aren’t doing it because our national offices tell us we are required to but because we have the desire to help those that are suffering and give them a better quality life and maybe thats by paying for medical treatment or just being their friend and allowing them to have shoulder to lean on. There is nothing more fulfilling in this life than improving the life of another person.

Not only do we heavily participate in charity events (as do other Greek organizations on campus) but we also care a great deal about our grades. Don’t judge us as bubble brains, because I can tell you everyone that’s in a sorority has at least a 2.5 GPA if not higher. It’s taken seriously sisters are upheld to a higher standard. We aren’t in college to mess around and just be someone’s wife we are here to be an asset to the community, to our future employers, and to whoever we may end up in a relationship with. This is 2016; the Mrs. Degree isn’t a thing anymore, so stop telling us it is when we are future lawyers, business women, doctors and teachers.

After seeing all the negatives circulated about sororities, I had to list the positives. I am truly sorry if you were ever part of a sorority that made you feel like a less than person. Hazing isn’t tolerated by any Greek organization, and it’s something that if you feel unfair treatment do to hurtful comments about your appearance, or you were forced to do something you didn’t want to do then you have a right to report it. Please report it: there are too many amazing sororities out there getting a bad reputation from news articles about hazing. I hope this article changes some viewpoints of people out there. If it changes the mind of just one person then, I know that I have done something right, because you very well could be my sister one day, and trust me you’d be welcomed with open arms.

I am SCHOLARHSIP.

I am PHILANTHROPIC.

I am LEADERSHIP.

I am FRIENDSHIP.

I am ACCEPTANCE.

I am GREEK.

Don't you want to be too?