One of the best things about becoming a part of Greek life is the pride that comes with wearing your letters. Joining a sorority or fraternity comes with an abundance of t-shirts and opportunities to flaunt your pride left and right. But, there is one particular time in which I wore my letters that sticks out to me the most.
I work at a summer camp, and have spent my summers at a day camp for as long as I can remember. I was working the extended day program and hanging out with a little seven-year-old girl with the biggest blue eyes and curly blonde hair. We were sitting on a rock wall, and she looked up at me, with her big smile spread across her face, and told me that she wanted to be just like me. Her mom came right at that moment to pick her up and stood at a distance watching us talk.
I was wearing a tank top with my letters on it, and the little girl asked what they stood for. Before I responded, I glanced up to make eye contact with the mom. She had a look of impatience and disrespect on her face, but she still stood there, waiting for my response and her daughter’s reaction. I could tell, without exchanging words, that this mother clearly was a part of the portion of society that disapproves of Greek life. I looked back at this innocent little girl and prepared my response.
I said, “Well, Alpha Phi is my sorority,” to which she responded, "What’s that?” I thought for a few seconds, wondering what the best way to explain what Alpha Phi was. And this is what I came up with.
“Alpha Phi is a group of women who are strong, independent, intelligent, hardworking and kind. We have the biggest hearts and we are a family who loves each other and works with each other to be a family that is there for each other for the rest of our lives. We hang out together, go to dinner together, study together, watch TV together and we raise money to help people with different illnesses and life troubles together. We help each other to be better versions of ourselves. We are proud of each other and take care of each other; we are more than just best friends, Alpha Phi is my family.”
As I finished this sentence, I glanced back up at the mom, who seemed to roll her eyes and subtly shake her head, acting like I was corrupting her child, but the little girl took me by surprise. She looked up at me, smiling, and said in its beautiful simplicity, "That’s so cool!” Her mom’s jaw dropped, and shock spread across her face. The little girl gave me a big hug and hopped down off the wall, waving as she walked away.
She grabbed her mom’s hand and began to walk towards the exit. As she was walking away, I heard her say to her mom, "I want to be a part of a family like that some day, Mommy.”
The sense of pride that came to me in that moment overwhelmed me. This little girl, just seven years old, was able to see the beauty in Greek Life, unlike the others who let false stereotypes cloud their understanding of what it is all about. She didn’t look at me differently or think I was stupid or shallow. She wanted to be like me. This little girl looked at it simply, only for what it is. She made me even more proud to flaunt my family. So next time you go to wear your letters, wear them without hesitation, and even more proudly.
