I spend a lot of my time asleep in my day bed at my sorority house. When I’m not doing that, I might be at the library with some members of my pledge class while we stress about upcoming school assignments. When I’m not there, you could find me training for the Little 500 bike race with my sisters, which takes place every spring. Chances are high you spot me at Hartzells or Japonee with my friends from other Greek chapters.
You won’t find me, or my chapter, hazing members of my sorority. You definitely won’t see me talking down to any IU student — Greek or not. There’s not a chance in this world you see me or my sisters belittling anyone.
Recently, the Indiana University-Bloomington Greek system has come under attack due to a video circulating of members of Alpha Tau Omega engaging in explicit, sexual behavior. Honestly, it feels like every semester there’s a new issue coming to light with a Greek chapter at Indiana or a different Big 10 school.
One Odyssey reader commented on an article published on ATO and their recent scandal saying, “Maybe [Greek life] doesn't just look bad. Maybe it IS bad.”
Well, let me reassure you: Greek life isn’t bad.
As a member of a Greek organization, I feel motivated to do my best in school, participate in other extracurricular clubs and groups, and be my best self. I feel privileged to participate in philanthropies, attend special events and meet amazing women and men who are excited about their futures. I know my peers feel the same way.
I feel frustrated and I know I’m not alone. When Greek chapters mess up, like members of ATO did big time, it reflects poorly on an entire system filled with many different types of people. People who find actions like that just as heinous as people who aren’t involved in Greek life.
According to the Indiana University Greek Life Website, 20% of undergraduate students on the Bloomington campus have gone Greek. One fifth of all undergraduate students represent Greek life. Therefore, when you join an organization as large as the Greek system, you’re joining a community.
That community is compromised of many different people. Unfortunately, in every group, there’s a chance that some of these people may have bad morals. Maybe they disrespect women. Maybe they could care less about academics.
Unfortunately, there are bad apples. But that doesn’t mean the whole system is rotten. People aren’t perfect. That includes members of Greek life.
To me, being part of the Greek system at Indiana University means being my best self, because not only am I representing me every time I step out of my house, but I represent the men and women of the IU Greek Community. And the men and women I know and love are compassionate, giving, intelligent and ambitious. I hope one day everyone sees us in the same light I do. Because I promise, that's who we are.
