Greek life. We’ve all heard of it, and I’m sure you probably have your own idea of what it entails. I think we all can agree that it’s an extremely popular activity on various college campuses nationwide. Countless college students and alumni credit Greek life for a large portion of their personal growth during their time on campus. I am one of those people.
I came to college to earn an education and play collegiate softball. After a series of events, I left softball behind. However, before I hung up my cleats forever, I became a part of something that has and is truly changing my life. I’m a sister of Delta Omicron Pi, and I’m proud of it! Many of you have not heard of my sorority and that is something I take pride in. Here at Emory & Henry College, we have been taught to work as a tight-knit community. One whose bonds are not quickly broken or foundation easily shaken. At Emory and Henry, Greek life is one of the most, if not the most, popular student life organization on campus. Since our college is so small in scale, our Greek groups are naturally locally based. This means that the groups are exclusive to our campus only.
Some people spend hours debating which is better: Being a part of a local or national Greek organization. The truth is, you cannot combine fact and opinion. Thus, one is not “better” than the other. However, I can explain what it feels like from a local sorority girl’s perspective.
1. I know exactly who each of my current sisters are.
If someone asked me to list each of my current sisters, it would be simple. There are 32 of us. This isn’t exactly what I mean, though. I thoroughly know all my sisters personally. I know their names, where they are from, their major(s), etc. Every. Single. One.
2. I know our "older" sisters.
I adore our alumnae. I know a large portion of them personally, also. They are extremely supportive ladies who are plugged into everything we current sisters are doing. They keep up with us constantly. It’s like having a band of super-moms we can always count on.
3. Everything you do is exclusive to that group on that campus.
Maybe I am a little biased, but I get some type of satisfaction out of talking to my older sisters about the shenanigans they got into back in their day. There is just something special about knowing all my sisters walked the same pathways, ate the same crummy café food and sat in some of the exact classrooms that I do now. When I talk to them, it’s exactly like our current sisters, just a few years older. All of us. Every sister of Delta Omicron Pi went to Emory & Henry College.
4. Dues are affordable (sort of).
My dues for each semester are a whopping $50. For most national Greek groups, that’s just a drop in the bucket. Let’s not forget that we are college students. You know, the people who are living off ramen and mac ‘n’ cheese. I don’t know about you, but I surely couldn’t shell out hundreds of dollars per semester to keep my sorority functional.
5. We are truly unique.
I can travel around the world and know that I am a part of the only Delta Omicron Pi sorority out there. I am pretty proud of that, too. It’s okay if you call us hipsters.
6. We are completely in charge of our sorority.
This means we can make amendments to our constitution whenever necessary without contacting a higher power. We run our organization and know exactly who is in charge of each office within the group, and we have the flexibility to vote on important topics at our own leisure.
7. Going local was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I love my sisters with a passion. They have shaped me into who I am today and help me strive to be a better person daily. They are here to celebrate my victories and pick me up after failures. This doesn’t stop with my current sisters, but continues through our alumnae, also. I know that all of our history that has been passed down was made on the campus I inhabit. We may be small, but we’re definitely strong, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
There will always be debate regarding local and national Greek life. The fact is, we are both very different. I love my small sorority and knowing that those ladies are my only current sisters out there. Either way, we can always agree that we are Greek.
