Sorority recruitment may not seem like a big deal to most people, but for some, it is the first big decision you will make in your life on your own. The experience of being a member in a chapter is something that is hard to explain. It's not a club or a team, it's more than that. It's a home. I came up with what I believe are the most important reasons to go Greek, and why joining organizations like these can be so life-changing.

1. Philanthropy

Each chapter has its own philanthropy. The Mizzou Panhellenic Association even has its own philanthropy, Circle of Sisterhood. Most of the philanthropies are nationally recognized by every chapter in the country, so it is a common bond within their sisterhood. These include Breast Cancer Awareness, Make-A-Wish, Children's Miracle Network, Service for Sight, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

2. Scholarship

I will be the first and not the only person to tell you college is hard. I don't care if you breezed through high school, I can guarantee you that there will be a point in time where you will be struggling in college. There are so many ways fraternities and sororities help with academics like mandatory study hours, test files, mentor programs, tutoring, etc. You must maintain a minimum GPA to be a member of the organization, which shows how important grades are and how well rounded Greek men and women must be. These men and women are here to help you and to push you to become the best you can be. Your success means just as much to your sisters and brothers as their own.

3. Job opportunities

Sororities are great for networking. This summer I was able to talk in my interview about my chapter with the woman interviewing me because she was a sister of mine from a different chapter. It's a great conversation-maker, and it looks great on a resume, especially if you held leadership positions within the chapter.

4. Tradition

I am the first woman in my close family to go Greek, so I went into rush finding exactly which chapter was everything I had been looking for. For some women, they find everything they were looking for within a chapter that their ancestors, grandmothers, mother, aunts, cousins, sisters, etc. had been a member of in the past or currently. Joining a chapter and becoming sisters with someone in your family can mean so much to them and create an even stronger bond between a family.

5. The Social Aspect

There is nothing better than having a great group of friends. What's so great about going Greek is that your group of friends will meet other groups of friends from different sororities and fraternities. You have the opportunity to meet so many people through Greek life as long as you put yourself out there and give people a chance to get to know you. Being Greek is something everyone has in common, and it is special to know that you have a friend in each chapter on your campus.

6. Pride

It is a great thing to be proud of yourself, just like it is great to be proud to be part of an organization that does so much good in the community and for its members. Those letters on your shirt mean more to you than the thread they were stitched with and the cotton t-shirt they were placed perfectly on. They stand for something bigger than yourself and to get the chance to be a part of that, it can't be put into words.

7. Brothers and Sisters

I believe this is the most important aspect of being a member in a fraternity or sorority. When you look back on college, you aren't going to remember that day you took that statistics test and cried when you knew you did awful, you aren't going to remember that time you hated doing laundry in the basement of Laws Hall, and you most definitely aren't going to remember all those nights you spent in Ellis studying for biology.

But you know what you will remember?

You will remember the people that were there with you going through and experiencing all the things you do in college.

You will remember the time you wanted chicken nuggets and your sister in the room next to you raced to your car with you because she wanted fries just as badly.

You will remember movie nights in the four-man room down the hall with half of your floor.

You will remember living with your college best friend that you wouldn't have met unless you went to school two hours away from home and went Greek.

You will remember going to remember dressing up in red, white, and blue with the awesome guys of the fraternity you were paired with for Greek Week and how much fun you had with them.

You will remember all the nights (maybe) that you and your best friends went to El Rancho after a night out. You're going to remember formals with the greatest people that could have been put in your life in some of the most fun cities and venues.

All I know is that if I'm paying for my friends, I should owe a lot more money because the people I've met and the experiences I've had so far can't have a price put on them. They are what makes these four years special. They are what make you push yourself to be a better person. They are the reason you go Greek and the reason you find a home within a building with Greek letters above the door. They are the reason you find where you belong.

"People don't join sororities or fraternities, people join people." -- Phired Up Productions