It doesn't take a genius to realize that sororities are unlike any other organization. Each sorority is different, and every chapter has its own unique traditions. It is hard to understand why we do the things we do if you aren't involved in Greek life. But because my sisterhood is different than your social group or service committee does not make it the brunt of your jokes.
Sorority girls are smart. We aren't airheads who put our social lives before our grades.
Most sororities require members to maintain a certain GPA. In some cases, girls who fall below a required academic standard have minor consequences to face.
Sisters help each other study, attend class together, and encourage each other in academics. Many sorority girls go on to be successful in scientific fields, hold positions of authority in business endeavors, and impact lives of others no matter their profession.
I didn't buy my friends nor am I in it for a resume builder. “Did you join a sorority so you can buy your friends because you can't get them on your own?" This is my favorite. If I were in a sorority to buy my friends, my sisters would be a getting a whole lot back in terms of monetary compensation.
As it turns out, you get so much more than money from a sorority.
Because I joined a sisterhood, I have made my best friends. These girls will be there for the rest of college and hopefully the rest of my life. There is not enough money in the world that I could give them in return for their love and company. I also didn't go through recruitment to build my resume.
Yes, it definitely is a benefit to be a part of an organization that is nationally known in terms of service and leadership opportunities. But no, that's not why I joined.
We don't get drunk and hook up with guys every time we go to a party.
You might think it's funny to ask me every time I come home from a party how many shots I took or how many guys I made out with, but it's not. Things like this happen at parties, but that's just how college is.
It's not specific to Greek organizations. I have never been told so many times that underage drinking is not allowed than I have by my sisters. Also, not every party or social event is some huge rager with obscene amounts of drugs and alcohol. In reality, very few of them are.
A lot of social events held across Greek communities are really casual and for the purpose of just getting to know each other.
'Big' and “Little" aren't just cute nicknames.
My Big is my mentor, my best friend, and my family. Yes, I will always call her Big. No, that doesn't just mean she was assigned to me after I signed my bid card. She didn't pull my name out of a hat one day and decide she liked me. We were paired together because our personalities matched and because we would help each other grow and become the best members of our chapter that we could be.
Yes, my letters are everything.
I cannot count the number of times someone has made a joke about the hand signs sorority girls hold up in pictures, better known as “throwing what we know."
Yes, it's silly, but it's important. Throwing what we know is a way for each of us to make our mark and to remember the moments we've shared with our sisters. It reminds me that everywhere I go, I am representing my sisterhood and the values we uphold.
We keep the most important things a secret.
Sorry, no matter how much you poke and prod, I am not going to tell you our initiation ritual. This is the most important moment of being a member of a sisterhood, and it isn't to be shared with people who don't appreciate it.
Keeping these special moments safe within the sisterhood is a way that the members draw closer together. Rituals and traditions are why a lot of girls join and choose to stay in a sorority. It's how each girl connects to her sisters.
You will never understand what it means to be a sorority unless you join one.
I'm not saying to go and sign up for recruitment right now because it isn't for everyone. It's important however, to realize that just because we do things a little bit differently than you might or we have some habits you might find odd doesn't mean we need to be your jokes.
We are not a stereotype, each sister is different, and if you took the time to meet us and listen to us talk about how much we love Greek life, you will see us all a little differently.
