We all know the stereotype of Greek-affiliated college students: the air-headed sorority girl in the XXL t-shirt, swiping Mommy and Daddy's credit card left and right. Or the #toofrattocare guy in too-much-thigh revealing shorts, passed out by a beer pong table, Croakies and Raybans still intact. What is Greek life really about, though?

Sororities and fraternities are so much more than what meets the eye. They are more than the stereotypes, more than the few bad apples that created a bad reputation, more than the dues we pay, more than the numerous crush and formal events and certainly more than the Saturday night frat parties. Being Greek means being a part of an organization that supports you, strengthens you and opens up more opportunities than any other club or group on campus could offer.

Let's just bust the first myth altogether: in most, if not all organizations, dues are required. While it is true that Greek members tend to owe a hefty amount each semester, the money covers multiple costs. My sorority makes it easier to pay in chunks, as well as offers scholarships that many of our members receive. Also, for the record, if you don't get along with people outside of a sorority, you won't get along with people inside of one. It's impossible to buy friends. You aren't required to like every single person in your sisterhood, but fate usually has it that the recruitment process enables each group to pick ladies that are an accurate fit. 

I, of course, can't speak for fraternities. However I have many friends that are a part of one and share similar feelings as I do about their organization. I have found numerous invaluable, memorable aspects of my college life in the sorority I belong to, and I couldn't imagine my life without each of these things.

In my sorority, I have found a family. I have found two hundred and fifty plus girls who welcomed me home on Bid Day and have made me feel loved every single day since then. I have found a group of women to constantly be proud of, to laugh with and to go on late night fro-yo runs with. My Big is as important and close to me as a real sister, and I would be lost without her. From day one, before she was even officially my Big, she was the person to call in a crisis and the one who has continually supported all of my crazy endeavors. Moving away from home and being thrown into the college life is overwhelming and sometimes scary, but having people to call family that are a maximum of a few blocks away at all times makes the whole thing a little less intimidating and a lot more enjoyable.

I have learned what it means to represent something bigger than myself and to hold myself to a higher standard in order to better others. During my new member period, we watched a video titled "You're Always Wearing Your Letters," and it's one of the most relevant aspects of Greek life I could ever want to stress. No matter where I go or who I talk to, I am always representing my sorority and the girls that stand with me in it. I want nothing more than to represent the group that I love so much well, and to let others see what I see in these people. Sure, we are all diverse, and we are all flawed in some way, but striving to represent each other in a positive way not only makes us better people, but also it strengthens our bond with one another.

My weekends are never boring. This seems so trivial, but college is the time to make memories, take risks and meet tons of different people. Sororities provide you with opportunities to ask a random guy you just met to a Date Dash event, give you excuses to dress up with your friends and spend an evening dancing the night away, and enable you to build friendships that result in 12 am phone calls saying, "Hey, let's drive to Austin right now, I'm really craving Kerby Lane."

Being part of a sorority means having an incredible opportunity to be involved in philanthropic activities. My sorority supports domestic abuse awareness and works with the Waco Family Abuse Center. Our group of girls alone provide a full dinner, twice a week for all of the families that seek shelter at the center, as well as work with kids, throw holiday-themed parties and donate a plethora of other necessities such as diapers when we do our Hugs & Pampers drive. Other sororities do things such as read to students at the elementary schools, host mission trips and are able to work very closely with St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Being a member of a Greek group means reaching out to our community and beyond in a way that wouldn't otherwise be possible. I'm forever grateful for that.

Also included on the list of wonderful things about a sorority is the fact that I have more t-shirts than I could ever wear, super cute monogrammed everything in my sorority's colors and opportunities such as this one: writing for a website that is designed for Greek members. You really can't put a price on joining a group as amazing as mine, but if you could, I would say I'm getting quite the deal.