I recently came across this article in USA Today about the dark side of Greek Life, and, to be honest, I could barely make my way to the end of it. Everybody is entitled to his/her own opinions, but I happen to disagree with this negative viewpoint on sorority life, and I am going to enlighten you as to why joining a sorority has been the best decision I have ever made.
I am a person who coasted through high school with the sole intention of getting out of my small town and moving onto bigger and better things. That being said, my focus was almost entirely academically-based, rather than based upon the strongly bonded friendships that some people find throughout those four years. I decided to go a university about 500 miles away from home, obviously knowing no one, so I thought that going through fall recruitment and pledging a sorority would be an excellent way to form bonds with people unlike I had in the past. The latter decision is among the best I've made; my sorority is my home away from home and I cannot express in any amount of words how much I love everybody in it.
Are we paying for our friends?
You're paying to attend a university. You make friends there... does that mean you're paying for friends? No, it doesn't. You're likely paying fees for athletics and organizations outside of Greek Life; are you paying for your friends there? No, you're not. What you're doing is engaging in something that interests you; whether you choose to attribute this to a monetary value is entirely up to you, but you are not paying for your friends. Saying that is honestly saying that paying an activity fee to be on the high school track team is paying for your friends, but it's the same concept; you're paying to be a part of something bigger than yourself that you love, and you're only paying for it because it needs to be funded in order to function and thrive.
In addition to this, you're not going to be super close with everybody in your organization; like with any type of club or organization, you're going to find the people whom you relate with the most and with whom you love to spend your time. If you were "paying for friends," it's safe to assume that everybody would be close friends, because everybody's paying for it.
What is it really like to have a big?
Accepting a sorority's bid means that you've found your home, and within your home will be your family. I love everybody in my sorority as I've mentioned previously, but there is nobody I've bonded more closely with than my family, my branch, and especially my big.
Before the reveal, you're going to be annoyed with her constant reminders of "aw, yeah, I wish I had you as a little, but someone else snagged you first..." and her bogus hints during clue week that almost get you to second-guess yourself. After you're officially big/little, having a big is one of the most amazing things that'll ever happen to you. A big is a best friend that you can text a million times without feeling annoying, and whether it be with funny .gifs or complaints about a significant other, she is going to respond accordingly, whenever and wherever she may be. She will stop everything she's doing to run to your side if you need her.
A big is somebody who will love you unconditionally, and she won't judge you for your quirks—she probably has the same ones. She's someone who is most likely your clothing size, so if you don't have an outfit for a themed event, she's got you; she'll also supply you with enough shirts in your initiation basket for you to be able to wear one every day for pretty much the rest of your life. She is your person; she is someone you can spend your time doing absolutely anything with, at any hour of the day, any day of the week. She's your shoulder to cry on, but at the same time, someone you can laugh with until you're in tears. She is your role model in more ways than one.
Your big is your biggest fan and support system, and you're the same for her. Finding a big is a process that is taken very seriously, because not only is she there for your collegiate years, she's there for life.
Wearing letters... what's up with that?
The author of the aforementioned article says something regarding girls flaunting letters in various places such as the gym, the bar, etc. It is true. We "flaunt" our letters because they represent our core values and we are beyond proud to show them off. Yes, there are days when we completely match, and the pictures taken on those days may be all that you're seeing, but there is much more to wearing letters than picking out cute fabrics that go together. We earn the privilege to wear our respective letters.
Philanthropic work: does it happen?
I feel as if people overlook or even forget about this aspect of Greek Life when they're busy focusing on the negatives. Personally, my sorority's philanthropy and our philanthropic partner are a huge part of why I joined in the first place. No matter what an organization's philanthropy is, everybody is constantly working extremely hard to raise money for it within the organization. We are endlessly passionate about our philanthropy and everything that it stands for. Another great part about it is that typically, philanthropic events are open to the entire college/university, so a larger audience is able to get involved and contribute to the cause.
What does being in a sisterhood mean?
As I mentioned before, your big is always going to be there for you. In your time in the organization, though, you're going to come across many other people who will literally do anything for you. This was something entirely new to me, coming from my specific situation in high school, and honestly, having people who are practically family all around campus is such an amazing feeling. These are people who, at the drop of a hat, will travel from across campus to indulge in some Ben and Jerry's with you or stay up late re-watching episodes of "Gossip Girl" to try to cheer you up when you're feeling down. They'll sit with you for countless hours in the library studying so that you're not alone, and they'll listen to your rants regardless of how ridiculous they may be. Your sisters will share in your happiness and comfort you in your sadness, and no matter what, they will love you.
Obviously, not everyone will have positive experiences with Greek Life, but I wanted to showcase that my sorority has had such a hugely positive impact on my life and that I have met my best friends in the entire world through it. I love each and every one of my sisters...
...and no, I do not pay for that.
