As I am reading your article, I just can't help but to reflect on my journey since joining Greek life. Honestly, it was the best decision I could've ever made.
1. "You pay for your friends when you join Greek life." The reason we have dues to pay, is to hold events and support philanthropic causes. You've done the same thing if you've ever played high school sports: you paid in order to keep your program going. The experiences you get to partake in while in Greek life, are once in a lifetime and no monetary amount can satisfy that.
2. "You can't love your big/little, you just met them an hour ago", is another false statement. We've had many weeks and several events leading up to big/little reveal. We've had time to get to know and fall in love with each of our sisters/brothers in the chapter. So when it comes down to seeing who it is, we already are in love with them. I know from personal experience, when my big, Leah, first asked me to go on a "sister date", she took me to Dave and Busters. I knew that night she was meant to be my big just by her sheer positivity towards life, not to mention the amount of similarities we share.
3. "We don't haze." No, like, I swear we don't. This is the most annoying thing (out of all the things) non Greeks can say. I can 100% attest to never once being hazed. We have a 100% no hazing policy and not one time in my chapter did they ever make us do anything we didn't want to. We even went to a seminar on no hazing and I know all of the girls in my chapter stand behind this policy. We treasure our sisterhood and the bond between us so we would never be able to do anything to damage it.
4. "It's a Greek thing." No, when we say this, we are not trying to be exclusive or not allow other non Greeks to know about it. It's just a certain thing that we do in Greek that may be difficult to explain unless you have been around it a lot. Also, in each chapter, there are certain things we are sworn to secrecy and not allowed to talk about.
5. "Sorry I can't come I have *insert Greek life event*." Yeah, this one is actually pretty tough to deal with as a part of Greek life. We are usually always busy doing some type of philanthropy event, social or some type of chapter meeting. It's hard enough balancing schoolwork and Greek life, as well as a social life (which yes, I know I voluntarily chose). So, it would be awesome if people understood (and realized we may be trying to simply get by) our inability to hang out due to a certain event rather than getting mad.
6. "It's so annoying when you're running around high pitch screaming and running into each other's arms." For some (most) of us, Greek life has lead us to many opportunities and made us so many friends. We enjoy the people in our chapter so when we get too excited about things, please give us a break because it's not our fault we're so passionate about something.
7. "You'd be perfect in so and so sorority." When we tell you that you'd be perfect in "so and so" sorority, it's completely out of love. We know how happy our chapter has made us feel and we just want you to feel the same exact way we do!
Sincerely a Greek who is totally proud of her chapter!
