Being halfway done with undergrad school, joining Greek life has to be the best thing I've done so far throughout my college experience and one of the best things I've done in my life. Since my first semester at school, I've always wondered what it really was like to wear letters, spend time with sisters, and participate in all things Greek. As much as I wanted to join, I would often hear those stereotypes we all hear about Greeks and the negative connotations that are associated with chapters. Let me start by saying Greek life is anything but that.

Having played softball for many years, I figured at first that Greek life might be like some teams I've played in the past, in the sense that it consists of an exclusive group of people who like to gossip, start drama and draw attention to irrelevant issues of our time. But Greek life isn't.

Heading into my junior year, I joined one of our university's local sororities almost a year ago, as I pledged first semester my sophomore year. As many people know, Greek life often does not like to publicize their pledge program as it remains a secret for only their house. This does not by any means suggest that we are trying to be exclusive, doing something dangerous, or harming one another in any way. In fact, pledging a house has done nothing but bring me closer to the members, especially with my own pledge sisters. I've been able to open up to sisters in this house within these past two semesters faster than I've ever opened up to anyone else.

Regardless of just this, there are often a lot of concerns that people have toward Greek life, and the false impressions there have been about Greeks throughout the media. Most Greeks are known to be less committed to their studies and their community's well-being. Personally, I couldn't disagree more. Having joined Greek life, I've been much more interested in the success of my academics and have performed better academically than when I was even a student-athlete. You're surrounded by a group of sisters/brothers who really care about you and how your academics may impact your future outcomes. They don't just tell you to sit down and study but they do it with you. In fact, our school's Greek life community has a higher overall GPA than the entire school community. In addition, Greeks are much more involved throughout the community than thought.

I played softball for 14 years before I chose to no longer participate. In that time, the teams I played for participated in little to no charity events, unless it was a charity for ourselves. Since joining Greek life, I've participated in quite a few events centered around the community and their well-being. Some of these events are multiple participations in Relay for Life, raising money for Habitat for Humanity and town clean-ups. In the two semesters that I've participated in Greek life so far, I've been more involved in my community's well-being than in 14 years of softball. Greek life isn't what most people think, and we definitely are not exclusive.

When I was a freshman, I was still somewhat intimidated by those who wore letters across their chest. Please know us Greeks aren't wearing them to be exclusive–we're wearing them with pride. Just because you aren't in Greek life, doesn't mean people in Greek life think any different or less of you. In fact, we enjoy getting to meet new people regardless of whether they have letters across their chest or not. When I wear letters, it's never me trying to be exclusive and show myself off. It's simply being proud of the house I've joined, the involvement we've had in our community and the positive impact my sisters and I have been able to bring to our community. Greek life is not what many people stereotype it to be.