The phrase "sorority girl" has developed such a negative connotation over the years, which has a lot of young girls questioning whether or not they should involve themselves in such a wonderful organization. In my three years of being a sorority member, I have acquired so many strengths and grown as an individual tremendously. For the following reasons and more, I am proud to be labeled as a "sorority girl."
1. You learn endless ways to be a good leader.
You don't have to have a leadership position to learn what it takes to be a good leader. Being in a sorority has taught me what it takes when you need something done, and to not be fearful when it comes to speaking your mind. Leadership is a quality that many, if not all, career positions require, and I'm blessed I was able to grow as a leader with so many amazing women supporting me.
2. You are forced to have good time management skills.
Have a test at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning and chapter Monday night? You learn to study the whole week prior so you aren't cramming after chapter, or taking a fine for missing. Any required event that conflicts with your school schedule, study schedule, or other organization's schedule, you learn to prioritize and manage your time so everything works out well.
3. You HAVE to keep your grades up.
If you want to stay in good standing with your sorority, you have to maintain grades and strive to keep them up. This means putting extra effort into your studies and go to class. Being in a sorority has taught me that your grades do matter and school always comes first.
4. You are held to a higher standard.
Wearing the letters of the organization you are a part of means that you represent every member. It means that whatever you are doing in those letters will reflect on every one of your sisters. This is an encouragement to be classy and respectful to everyone.
5. Networking Networking Networking.
Everyone you meet in college will tell you, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." When you are in a sorority, you have 200+ girls that will someday be wonderful connections in your career. These girls could be your way into that dream job of yours someday.
6. Creativity is pumped into your veins.
Yes, we make our own banners. Yes, we plan our own events. Yes, most of us spend 7-10 days creating our own costumes. We also create a budget, raise large sums of money for our philanthropy, involve ourselves with multiple outside organizations, and bring everything we can to the table. Creativity, I have learned, is not all about what color glitter will look best on your face. It is thinking through and figuring out better solutions and ideas in a professional setting.
7. Tremendous amounts of support and encouragement.
I will not be the first to say that I am not friends with every single girl in my sorority. I have my small group of close friends and we stick together. However, that is not to say that I hate 85 percent of my sorority. I know that any one of those girls that I share letters with will have my back in any situation if I asked them to, and I would undeniably do the same for them.
I wear my letters everywhere, my big is one of my best friends, and I dress up for themed functions. I'm a sorority girl, and I am proud of it.