Greek Life has been under a lot of scrutiny as of late. Hazing incidents, excessive partying, leaking of secrets, the list seems to go on and on. People often ask why I would ever be involved in something that makes me "pay for my friends", is "exclusive", and is "discriminating." They consistently criticize something that they don't fully understand.
When these people, who aren't aware of the positive aspects of this community, ask me why I went Greek they don't actually care, it's always been rhetorical. They never ask about why I have gone Greek, about why I love being apart of Greek Life, so I thought I'd take a second and lay it out.
Being apart of a Greek organization was my choice, I was lucky enough to be chosen by a sorority that I was interested in. Sometimes the timing isn't right for every person that goes through recruitment. Every house on campus has amazing qualities, amazing members and they all have fun. In life, we always hope that we end up with people that you have things in common with, and you also meet people that are different from you but you come to appreciate them.
While we have a lot of mandatory events, and we may find ourselves complaining about them at times, they give us structure. Being a member of the Greek community allows you to be a part of something bigger than yourself. This past spring, I was fortunate enough to attend St Jude Dream Day, my sorority's local philanthropy. Each member of my Greek affiliation raised $200 for our annual golf tournament, and the proceeds went to a magical event for St. Jude Hospital patients. When we pulled up to the open field, we were able to volunteer with the kids while they played with the animals, got their faces painted and fished.
Almost all of the children we talked to that day were undergoing treatment for cancer. They told us stories of friends of theirs who had passed away. Their parents could not contain their happiness that for one day, their child got to be an ordinary kid. At the end of the event, we passed out balloons and all of the patients got to release one balloon for a friend who had passed away in the last year. I can assure you that this was one of the most bittersweet moments of my college career. Something that I wouldn't have known about or been a part of if it wasn't for my affiliation with my sorority. It helped me realize how a small contribution can make a huge difference.
Participating in my sorority has made my college campus a smaller and more friendly place. I have made so many amazing friends, both greek and non-greek, through the connections I have made. One of my roommates for next year is a stepsister of a sorority sister. I love her and I am so lucky that my sorority sister introduced us. She is one of my best friends, and if I hadn't gone Greek I may have never known her amazing and kind spirit. Job opportunities, a broader spectrum of friends, and campus involvement, have all been side effects of my Greek affiliation, wow how terrible.
One comment that a lot of Greek affiliated people, myself included, hear a lot is that we're "wasting our money" or "we're paying for our friends". Think about what has a price tag in life. Everything in life costs money. Attending college, having a gym membership, and participating different clubs all cost money. How I spend my money is my concern and how you spend your money is yours. I don't criticize what you choose to spend your money on, so why can you criticize what I choose to do with mine?
Being involved in Greek Life has given me the opportunity to feel included. I would have never met the people who have hosted me for various holidays, shared meals with me, and taught me so much about life. Yes, we know how to have a good time. We are also college students. If you have never seen a college student have fun, then I don't know what college you have attended. Being a member of my sorority amounts to so much more than date parties and other social events. I choose to participate in things that are Greek affiliated and those that are not. We are not all forced to be friends. It is impossible to be best friends with 330 girls. However, we all have so much in common. We watch American Horror Story, the Oscars, and the Bachelor all together. We all laugh, cry and dance around to the Bachlorette Party playlist on Pandora.
They've all hugged me on my birthday, held me through heartbreak and have always held me to a higher standard. We hold each other accountable. We make sure we complete our assignments, study together, and that we attend class. We have a built-in buddy system. I've never been put in a position where I felt I needed to do something, or be something unrealistic to gain their acceptance. I'm held to a higher standard in aspects that help shape me for the real world. Who knows where I would be in college if I didn't have all these amazing girls to do it with?
The media tends to put a spotlight on the negative aspects of Greek Life and fails to include the positive ones, this is not to bring light to any of the hardships or pain that people have experienced from any event the media covers. I cannot remember the last time the media covered a positive event that a Greek organizations sponsored. I do not recall the media covering a blood drive or a philanthropy event. Sometimes the media does not choose to focus on the good things that others do, whether it is the greek community or another. We are so quick to point the finger at someone else that we forget to focus on bettering ourselves
In short, I believe that I fully appreciate my Greek affiliation. Being a part of Greek Life is something so much more than what you see on the outside. It is about doing something for someone other than yourself. These experiences that I have had over the past few years have helped me flourish. My sisters have taught me how to be a team player. When you run down the row to your house on bid day and you throw on that jersey, you become a part of something bigger than yourself.
