It’s weird to think you can be in love with an organization but that’s just how it is for my sorority and me.Coming to college I never thought I would join a sorority. I thought I would keep to myself and just go on my own path. Going through formal recruitment was absolutely insane but I trusted the system, just like I was told, and I’ve never been happier.

I know lots of women who have joined chapters all across the Midwest and found that being in a sorority wasn't for them. Whether they had a hard time making friends or paying dues, it just didn't seem to fit.

Being in a sorority is like a part-time job. You have commitments, responsibilities and there are rules to follow. Unlike what people think it isn't the strict you can't do this, can't do that kind of rules it’s more like, you need to attend this many events and pay your dues on time and be aware that you are always representing your chapter no matter what you are doing. For many people, that last part is just too hard.

Unlike those who had a hard time with their sorority I am very lucky. I was scared at first because I was overwhelmed but I knew what I gave would come back to me. And with effort and time, I met some amazing women I am so grateful to call my sisters.

My chapter changed me. Yes, I sound cliché but it did.

These women are important to me and so are the values they stand for and the ways we have bonded over the years. I feel connected to them. I know that wherever the future leads me I will have my sisters forever and I will probably come in contact with women who are in my national chapter randomly throughout my life.

My chapter means more to me than you could ever understand. When you’re going through a hard time during your college years, who is there? Your sisters. In a big white house on the street behind campus is an entire house full of women who are willing to drop what they are doing and listen to you complain about whatever you're struggling with.

Why, you might ask?

Because they are your sisters and you share that bond. The issues I have faced while being a student in college have really shown me tough times but I know I would not be where I am without the women in my chapter who supported me, pushed me, and cared for me when I needed it most. I owe a huge thanks to them, and I don't hesitate to put it out there.

It really pains me when someone disses my chapter. I know I am not my chapter, but I am a woman within it and everyone’s experiences are different. Like I said, mine has been amazing so it’s hard to hear someone would have anything less than a fantastic time in a Greek organization, but I understand. No matter what people will say to me about being in a Greek organization, I know it was one of the most beneficial decisions I have made in my entire life and I cannot imagine my life had I not joined.

Women in sororities will go out of their way to tell you how we don't fit those typical stereotypes and it’s because we want you to know that we are all individuals that make up a chapter. Not everyone is the same. We don't all dress the same, have the same values, or even the same beliefs, but what we do have in common is the willingness to be a part of an organization that requires time and effort.

I am not my letters, but I do represent the organization to which they belong. Our grades matter, we do have songs, and sometimes we dress similar for events, but that doesn't mean we are all the same. Those qualities are the same for many organizations not just those affiliated with Greek life.

I’m proud to wear my letters and I’m proud of who my chapter has shaped me into and if society chooses to tell me I pay for my friends then let me tell you I sure don't pay enough and my 200+ sisters will back me up on that one.