In honor of Rush Week at SUNY Oneonta, I'm going to spread the word about my (relatively small) sorority, Sigma Gamma Phi (aka Arethusa), to which I owe many thank you's to for forever changing my life in college and beyond.
Why is our nickname Arethusa or Thusa for short?
Sigma Gamma Phi is the oldest recognized sorority at SUNY Oneonta, almost 121 years old. Our sorority began as a literary society called, Arethusa, which is named after a nymph of greek mythology. It existed before greek life even existed so that's why its original name doesn't contain greek letters. Later, when greek life was created, the members of this book club adopted greek letters and became sisters of Sigma Gamma Phi.
Are we local or national?
Neither, really. I, along with other sisters, like to consider our sorority regional which is an uncommon concept. Usually, a sorority is either local or national. Local means they are the only of their kind while national means there a numerous chapters across the country. Sigma Gamma Phi is not the only one of its kind because there are four chapters altogether (Potsdam, Fredonia, Geneseo, and Oneonta). However, our sorority is not all across the country, only in New York state. Therefore, Sigma Gamma Phi falls into an odd category, a regional sorority. This also means we don't pay national dues, which is pretty cool because all of our money comes back to us. I take pride in being a regional sorority because it sets us apart from organizations. Today, it's especially important to differentiate our sorority from what others refer to as "stereotypical" sororities.
Speaking of diversity, is there a typical Thusa girl?
Of course Sigma Gamma Phi, like all other sororities, welcomes girls who "fit" into our organization. But this has nothing to do with a girl's outside appearance, we care more about what's inside. Does this mean we have the most ethnically diverse group of girls? No. We definitely try to, but then again, we attend a school where 80% of the student body is white. However, I think it says something when I'm part of the 1.5% that is two or more races (asian, white) and there's quite a few more in our sorority. The article "The Sorority Stereotype Is Total BS" nails the diversity debate on the head. Why define diversity based solely on ethnicity when looks are never most important? Sigma Gamma Phi consists of strong women with diverse personalities and I believe that's what makes a sorority special. I have something in common with so many of these down-to-earth sisters. This is why I'm proud to be a Thusa girl.
What is our philanthropy?
Like every greek organization, we have a philanthropy, which keeps us involved in the community and in volunteer work. Our's is Opportunities for Otsego (the county SUNY Oneonta is located). Opportunities for Otsego helps alleviate poverty and aids low-income individuals/families. Please check it out to learn more, http://www.ofoinc.org. We do more community service outside our philanthropy as well. For example, we raised over $5,000 for Relay for Life last spring. Since we're a regional sorority, we get to focus on a smaller foundation and giving back to our local community along with participating in major non-profit organizations.
Last, but not least, why did I choose Thusa?
I came into college with absolutely no interest in greek life. It wasn't until my boyfriend joined a fraternity and I met a wonderful Thusa member (who later became my big) that I thought, "hey, maybe greek life is for me." Once I started meeting sisters, I felt like I belonged somewhere, which was very different for me because I was used to standing on my own. I was at a point in my college career where I felt like I didn't have a purpose on campus. Honestly, (not even all my sisters know this), but I probably wouldn't have stayed at Oneonta if I didn't find my fit with Sigma Gamma Phi. When I'm feeling discouraged I remember our motto, per aspera ad astra- through hope (or struggles) to the stars. Thank you to all of my sisters for giving me confidence and picking me up when I felt alone. I could only hope that every college student finds somewhere they belong, even if it's not in greek life, because every one deserves to have what I have in Thusa.
Since Sigma Gamma Phi isn't nationally recognized, it is easily overlooked, but it deserves so much more acknowledgement. Even I never knew I'd be writing almost 1,000 words on a sorority, but I'm just that passionate about it. Maybe one day it'll be active on more campuses and more widely known. But until then, I'll appreciate every second I have with Thusa and be grateful for this chance I've been given. Good luck to all of those rushing greek organizations this fall, I hope you find your fit and you're as happy as I am!
Check us out on social media and spread our name!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneontaArethusa?fref=ts
Instagram: https://instagram.com/arethusadelta/
