Everyone knows the stereotypes: Sorority girls are all the same. They're cookie-cutter images of rich, white girls who only care about the number of likes on their Instagram posts, Lilly Pulitzer, frat boys and partying. I completely believed all of those stereotypes two years ago. But then I actually joined Greek life, and I got to see sorority life from the inside. It was a whole new world; one that was more than sorority squats, frat parties and Greek letters. A world that completely changed me in a way I never saw coming.
As a shy and insecure freshman in college, I never thought I'd fit into any sorority. I put sorority girls into a box, and I saw no room for myself there. They were the cool, popular girls everyone liked; I was the quiet and reserved girl no one noticed. And admittedly, a part of me also thought I was too good to be one of them. All they cared about was partying. I had more depth than that.
Somehow, I convinced myself to go out for recruitment, and I ended up finding a home in one of the sororities on campus. As I ran toward my new family on Bid Day amidst tons of screaming girls all wearing the same outfit, I had no idea what those girls and the letters they wore would come to mean to me. My one year anniversary since Bid Day has recently passed, and as I reflect on that whole year, I realize just how much my sorority has changed me.
The shy and insecure girl I was freshman year? I'm not her anymore. My people skills have considerably improved, and I am more confident than I ever was without my sisters. They support me and show me happiness when I can't find it on my own. They listen to me vent about the guy who just won't make the first move and laugh with me over the guy who ended up being a total loser. They carry me through the hard times and bring me so much joy even on the worst days. They show me beauty comes in every shape, size and color. They show me beauty is not just skin-deep, but as deep and wide as the ocean.
My sisters have taught me sorority girls aren't copies of the same image. They come from every background imaginable. A sorority girl can come from a broken home but still have the biggest heart. She can come from a close-knit family and be looking for something similar at school. She can be the biggest cat person alive or the girl who smiles at every dog she sees. She can be a girl who's played softball her whole life and is more of a tomboy. She can be a prom queen. She can be a social butterfly or the most shy girl in school. There is no "sorority girl" type because the truth is, a sorority girl can be anyone. I didn't know this when I was on the outside looking in, but from the inside looking out, I see so much diversity and how every girl, no matter where she's from or what she's like, is a beautiful asset.
My sorority has also given me my big, who is not only my best friend but also my second big sister. I found almost an exact replica of myself in her, and I can't imagine life without her. She's my mother figure at school who cooks dinner for me when I'm tired of the dining hall and makes sure I make the right decisions. She's the older sister who gives me advice about boys and school and taking leadership positions in the sorority. She's the tough love I need to hear, even when I don't want to hear it. She's the best friend who I always ask to make plans with no matter what day or time it is and the best friend I tell every secret to. She's one of my biggest role models, my second mother, my biggest supporter, my confidant and my future bridesmaid.
Greek life has not only given me sisters, but friends in other organizations, as well. Everywhere I go on campus, I see people I know. My sorority has connected me to so many people and opportunities I could never have found by myself. I'm best friends with girls who wear different letters. I've learned that guys in fraternities can be some of the sweetest and most gentleman-like guys I'll ever meet. I can look at every set of letters on my campus and feel like I am a part of something much bigger than myself.
People hear "sorority girl" and think so many negative things. But I hear "sorority girl" and think of all of my sisters. The ones who text me, "Are you OK?" after I post a sad tweet. The ones who shout the lyrics to "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls together when we're sitting in our chapter house. The ones who are the reasons I have plans on a Friday night or a lunch date on a Monday afternoon. The ones who give me the confidence I would have never found on my own. The ones who make me feel important enough to be a part of something so special.
A few weeks ago, one of my sisters came up to me and said, "You have blossomed so much since you first joined." I looked at her and silently realized she is so right. Before Greek life, I was shy, scared, lonely and insecure. Now, because of my sisterhood, I am confident, outgoing, fearless and secure in the fact I am never alone.
