If it’s one thing I knew I always wanted to be a part of when I got to college, it was Greek life. However, when the time to make the decision became a reality, it wasn’t as easy as I thought. The media has heavily tainted the image of Greek life in the way they portray it. Greeks are seen as slugs and alcoholics who eat off a silver spoon with no ambition other than scouting out the next it item on the market. However, in most cases this is far from the truth. No movie has ever shown that in reality Greeks are usually known for having some of the highest GPAs on campus, and we actually bust our asses to keep giving back to our community in every way we can. In my first year as a sorority woman, I gained sisters that will last a lifetime, I helped raise money for amazing causes, I learned what it feels like to be a part of something so much bigger than yourself and so much more, all of this, without the slightest bit of hazing.
As fall rush quickly approaches, it's crazy to think I was in that same spot just a year ago, they asked me then why I wanted to join a sorority, and honestly I didn’t really know, I was in a new place and I wanted to make friends, I wanted to gain connections and if we're being honest, some of the movies made it seem really fun. A year ago I didn’t really know why I wanted to be a part of Greek life but after spending a year as a sister of Sigma Delta Tau, now I do.
To better explain to you what going Greek is all about, here are some of the things the media conveniently forgets to report about Greek life:
1. Hazing does not define Greek Life.
Not every organization conducts hazing, in fact, most schools don’t even tolerate it. Hazing stories never fail to get plastered across newspapers, but what most people don’t know is that each school houses its own specific chapter, so if one chapter at a school does it, it does not in any way represent what the organization as a whole supports. As the saying goes, “the acts of one do not justify the acts of other.” True Greeks become a part of these organizations to gain brothers and sister and establish a sense of leadership in themselves while being able to inspire others at the same time. When hazing happens it's because there are certain individuals who are a part of that organization for the wrong reason, there is no school on this God-given Earth that would support the abuse of their students.
2. Greeks have some of the highest GPAs on college campuses.
Disclaimer: Joining a Greek organization does not mean a free pass to a 4.0 average, that’s all hard work and sleepless nights.
Let's be honest based on what you have seen from the media: what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear sorority girl or frat guy? High GPA? No? Yeah, thought so. The media loves to show us all as night-long partiers but not our grades, which despite what is portrayed of us is usually pretty stellar. Schools from across the nation have reported that their all-Greek average GPA is higher than the average undergraduate GPA. This doesn’t mean to say joining a Greek organization will get you perfect grades, that’s all on you and how you study. However, it does go to say when you have this incredible support system that is standing beside you through everything and always cheering you on, it really makes a difference in how you see yourself, and that shows in our academic performance. GPA is an important factor in Greek organizations, and it is taken pretty seriously, regardless of what people may think.
3. Greek life donates millions of dollars a year to philanthropies.
If you ask me what I think the best part about being part of a Greek organization is, it’s the philanthropy. Why? Because there is nothing that makes my heart happier than being able to give back to my community. According to the National Panhellenic Council’s annual report for 2014-2015, Greek life raised more than $6 million for philanthropies. Philanthropy is such a huge part of Greek life, yet so many people don’t even know it. Even though sometimes it can call for some pretty silly stuff, if it's for a good cause, in the end, it's always worth it. So whoever had the idea that Greek life is all about paying for friends and parties clearly didn’t do any damn research.
4. Going Greek = Never ending support system.
Once you become a new member of an organization, the active members and alums will be there for you no matter what. No one is saying you’ll be best friends with every single member because that’s not true, but at the end of the day, it won’t change the fact that you are family, and family will always be there for you. No matter if it's a bad test score, a crappy break-up or a crazy night out, they will always be there for you to help take the weight off of your shoulders.
5. Some of the most famous leaders were apart of Greek life.
Inspiration is always found within all the aspects of the Greek system. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you may come from or where you hope to go, Greeks always strive to be great. According to USA Today 85 percent of Fortune 500 executives were actively involved in Greek life, and for all my ladies out there, the first female senator and first female astronaut were indeed very active sorority women.
So bottom line is: you may not always be the first to get it done, but failure is never an option.
6. Greeks are less likely to suffer from insecurities and depression.
It's no secret that more than 25 percent of college students suffer from some kind of mental illness, including depression. After all, college is one of the biggest life-changing experiences a person can go through. But by having a support system that you are surrounded by 24/7, it gives members a much higher chance of overcoming issues such as mental illness, or any other emotional issue that they may face.
If it's one piece of advice I can give the world, Greek life isn’t perfect, nor do we claim to be but nothing in life is, and that’s the beauty of it. I love being apart of Greek life because I know if I have a shitty day, my sisters will be there, or if I have an emergency at 2:00 a.m., they won't think twice about coming to my rescue. My sisters are there to help me even when I’m in situations where I don’t know how to help myself. They are there to celebrate with me for every high, and comfort me at every low. Brotherhood and sisterhood is about celebrating the good and the bad and it's one of the greatest feelings you can have when you become a member.
Greek organizations hold each member to stay true to their values and push them to exceed their personal goals to become the best they possibly can. Greek life is full of ups and downs, but the issues that occur within our organizations help build character within the members and shape them into a stronger person. After all, they do say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The organizations are full of various backgrounds, homes and religions. That’s what makes it so amazing -- it's a place where race doesn't matter, the past become non-existent, sexual orientation is just a fact and the only thing that matters is how you will contribute to the future.
In college, your life can turn upside down so quickly, and the person you become through all of those college years is dependent upon who you spend your time with, and what you learn through what you do. So choose people who will enrich you and help you grow. Going Greek is not just an extracurricular activity -- it is a chance to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.
