Blonde ponytail bobbing, I’m walking through the University Union carrying my yoga mat bag, repping my sorority’s PR sweatshirt, and sipping on my non-fat caramel macchiato in a red holiday Starbucks cup. I realize that I look like the most basic girl that could possibly be in existence, a true high 14 on the pH scale, more basic alkaline than sodium hydroxide.

I was not interested in becoming a member of Greek life when I first arrived at college, and I never really saw myself as a sorority girl. The truth is,I still don’t see myself as a “sorority girl," even though I have managed to perfect the art of a well-formed sorority squat and just happen to wear the same exact colors for a night out as my big and little.

I am member of Kappa Alpha Theta at Cal Poly, but the reason I joined was not for the date parties or for the frat boys (although they are both fun to enjoy). I joined for the friendship and the sisterhood of the girls who have encouraged me to become my best self, and taught me how to take hundreds of pictures in the most flattering ways you can imagine.

In every sorority and fraternity at universities around the country, there is diversity. There are girls who enjoy hiking, camping, hitting the gym, and there are girls who would rather go get their nails done and then hit the mall. And of course there are also girls who enjoy both.

There are guys in every fraternity who are pros at playing sports and shotgunning beers, and there are guys who would rather spend their time finishing calculus homework and playing "Clash of Clans." And there are guys who are masters at both.

Sororities and fraternities can get a bad rep from scandals and stereotypes, but the truth is that not all young men and women involved in Greek life are even remotely close to being clones of each other. There is much variety in every group of 200+ girls and 50+ guys that make up each organization, and out there will be the right organization that fits for you. This group will become a family and a home away from home; a support system when you need someone to be there for you, even after graduation.

One of my best college friends convinced me to go through informal winter recruitment with her sorority when we arrived back on campus after winter break last year, saying that going Greek is an experience that you can only take advantage of going through once: during college!

The experience of informal winter recruitment was entirely different than I had imagined. Instead of touring every house over the course of a couple days, I went to the one house that I was interested in joining and enjoyed meeting them in a less intensive environment than formal recruitment can be. Ultimately I took the leap, accepted their bid, and now the house she convinced me to try during informal recruitment is the place I call my second home.

I will never forget the anticipation I felt on Big/Little reveal night. All of the new members were given a scrap of wrapping paper which we would match to a box and unwrap our big. To my surprise, me and another girl I recently met in my new member class were given the same scrap of patterned wrapping paper. We were all sent to unwrap the boxes in the courtyard which would contain the girls who would always be our big sisters. I had connected particularly well with one girl and I was going to be heartbroken if I unwrapped the box and didn't find her inside. After all, I had only known her for a couple weeks, but I had already imagined her as a bridesmaid at my wedding someday... Much to my excitement, I gained her as my first and only big sister and also gained a twin that night. They became my Greek family.

If you have any interest in joining a Greek organization this year, I advise you to try going through upcoming winter or spring recruitment. There is no pressure to definitely join any organization even if you receive a bid, and you will meet many new people of all different backgrounds and interests regardless of whether you decide to join. You will gain new friends, sisters, brothers, clan mates, lifting spotters, hiking buddies, and someone who will always let you borrow their nice nail polish.