To The Girl Who Wrote "What It's Like Not Being In A Sorority At Rowan University",
Hi, how ya doing? Good? Okay, because we need to sit down and talk about a couple of things you recently put on the internet.
Recently, you made an Odyssey article about what it's like to not be in a sorority at your university. Though I completely understand how you feel, I think you should hear the Greek community out. Let's sit down and chat for a bit.
My personal experience in Greek Life has been a blessing in many ways. First off, I didn't pay for my friends. Sure I pay dues, but I was recruited amongst seven other well-established sororities on my campus and I chose to go through recruitment just like everybody else involved. Part of being in a sorority is making that financial commitment. Just like any other commitment or organization, just like a sports organization, for example, you have to pay for the uniform and the opportunity to participate, right? Now, let's move on.
Secondly, don't talk about something if you don't have first-hand experience from it. Though what you see on the outer circle might be perceived as such, it does not mean by any means that your statements are true. I personally believe that Greek Life is for the bettering of people's relationships with the rest of the school community, and I'm coming from a school in which only approximately 12% of the campus is involved with some form of Greek Life. Sure, you see the people jumping and chanting during the first weeks of the semester, but you know what? We recruit women with leadership potential, a bright personality, and women who were in search for the same qualities that we had when we came to college. We need to go through this process, especially with schools in which several thousands of girls go through recruitment each year.
Third of all, we all have hardships in life. I've been put on academic probation before, as my Greek community sets high standards for GPA requirements, and sometimes I have too much on my plate and can't obtain that. That doesn't mean I should blame my sorority for it, it means that I should take ownership for my actions and choices in life. I urge you to think about how your perception of Greek Life actually reflects the actuality of it
I agree with you on one particular thing you wrote, There are so many other ways to meet people and connect with people... You're right, there's no doubt about that. However, can you really consider two organizations different when they both have a very close bond with their members, they are required to pay dues, they have matching apparel on occasion, and they are seen together in public quite often? From my experience, being in Greek Life has been nothing short of a miracle, as I found individuals who believed and me and carried me through some of the darkest times during college. And you know what? I found that here at Odyssey, too. Same thing.