"As someone who isn't Greek, seeing people who only wear their letters is super annoying."

My little brother said this to me over the break, in a joking manner. As one of my best friends, it stung a little bit to hear that come from him. However, it made me think--what do my letters stand for? We all know the five s-rules of letter--no sex, swearing, sipping, sleeping, or sweating. The day after initiation, I remember putting on the letters passed down by my Big with pride. After completing their new member process, the guys I knew from the fraternities beamed in their new letters, wearing them ever for a week straight. Why do we wear our letters with pride? It's not for simply being a part of the organization.

I wear my letters with pride for the women who wanted their own organization and formed Alpha Delta Pi, the first female Greek letter organization.

I wear my letters with pride for LMU Greek Life's 3.32 GPA, compared to the non-Greek GPA of 3.23.

For the $87,773 donated to various philanthropies by LMU Greek Life.

I wear my letters with pride for the 18,142 service hours completed by members of the LMU Greek Community in a single semester.

I wear my letters my letters with pride for the six founders of Delta Zeta who decided to form the first female Greek organization at Miami University.

I wear my letters with pride because women I look up to decided that I represented the values of their organization.

I wear my letters with pride not just for my own organization, but the Greek community as a whole.

For the four year graduations rates of Greek undergraduates being 4.8 (Greek Men) and 4.7 (Greek Women) percentage points higher than non-Greek undergraduates.

For the men of California Delta ΣAE for their love and support of Lexi Brown, a 12-year old girl with cancer.

For the 244,000 women who wore my letters before me and the thousands of women who will wear them after me.

For the $11,840 raised by LMU Delta Zeta during a single philanthropy event.

For the men and women that have made me a better person, from my big, new-found best friends, and the fraternity men who have become my older brothers.

For coming together to win not only Lip Sync, but also Greek Week.

For the Interfaternalism seen during Greek Week.

For the core values we uphold as a chapter.

For the friendships I have formed within my sorority, but also within other Greek organizations.

For the organization that accepted me for actually who I am and will become.

I wear my letters with pride for all of these things and more. I am proud to be a member of the LMU Greek Community. I am proud to be a Delta Zeta. I am proud to be Greek.

Interested in joining something bigger than yourself and going Greek at LMU? Sign up for NPC Spring Sorority Recruitment and IFC Spring Fraternity Recruitment today.