Prior to entering college, I would scroll through Twitter and get confused how students would use the word “class” to describe school. I didn’t understand how they could spend so many hours studying in the library, when all I knew about the library was that it was where I rented DVDs from when I was younger... which doesn’t seem practical to me. As a high school student, I would roll my eyes at the countless Instagram posts and their witty little captions about all of the girls finally being at home with their sisters. You weren’t Greek in high school, I thought you were 22% Italian, 87% French and 1% Polish... what changed?
There are probably many girls out there that would definitely not define themselves as a sorority girl, or what the stereotypical definition of a “sorority girl” would be. For the girls like me, who have really outgoing personalities, don’t like to go out that much, and get overwhelmed being surrounded by a million girls, probably think that sorority life isn’t really for you. This description doesn’t really fit the bill for a role in "House Bunny." But that’s just it. Sorority life isn’t what it’s portrayed in the media, it’s a culture that you have to be apart of to understand.
Just like how college life is such a foreign concept to high schoolers, sorority life was a foreign concept to me. It bothered me so much when everybody posted all these pictures with giant letters saying they are “running home”… like no, that is not where your house is. I didn’t understand why everybody was sooo obsessed with their Big/Little and why they try and fit their Greek letters creatively into words to make a fancy Instagram caption. However, this all was before I became apart of the Greek culture.
Every college campus has this “culture” that the administration and students create to make sure everybody is happy, involved, and having a fantastic experience. The same is with a sorority. I thought it was silly until I got involved, and after I immersed myself in the culture, I finally understood.
When you go through the recruitment process for a sorority, you will fall in love with your future sisters. You will meet with girls with similar personalities and values as you, and that’s when you realize where you belong. For me, the girls in Alpha Chi Omega were the most down to earth, funny people I’ve met on campus thus far. You will feel right at home when you’re with them.
On bid-day, I finally understood the concept of “running home” when I literally ran to meet my sisters at the Alpha Chi house, which is something that most sororities do as a ritual. I embraced them all with open arms, and they did the same to me. I can say that I’ve never felt that welcome in my entire life.
Guess what else was there? Those giant wooden letters we all see everywhere for the photo ops. And let me tell you, honestly, taking pictures with those things are so fun. Like the letters are huge!!! Who doesn’t enjoy un-proportional things am I right?
After meeting so many sisters, I got amped up about finding a Big. I finally understood what it was like to be so excited about meeting a girl who will be matched perfectly with you based on your personality and lifestyle. How is that not friendship goals?
Taking all of the photos and talking about a sorority may seem weird to others, but that’s because they are not apart of the culture. I really do feel at home when I am surrounded by my sisters, and I never understood that until I joined Alpha Chi. Sorority girls, including myself, are proud of being apart of Greek life and that is why many of us plaster it all over the place.
Think of a Sorority as a culture within Greek life. Greek life offers so many leadership opportunities, community outreach and service programs, academic motivation and honest friendship. When is the last time you watched a movie where all of the girls in the sorority held a campus fundraiser to raise money towards a local women’s shelter? Probably never, but it happens all the time.
Just like visiting a foreign country, it is difficult to understand everything about it unless you are apart of the culture. The stigma and stereotypes surrounding not just the culture of Greek life, but other “minority” groups is what is setting people back. If there wasn’t so much negative energy spread about sorority life, many more girls would be willing to participate and find a second home. Don’t let the stigma control you, and immerse yourself in the culture before you judge what it is like.
