“I love your monogramed necklace,.” 

“Such hip Hunter boots." 

“OMG, did you see her on Total Frat Move account?!”  

These absurdly over exaggerated and ridiculous statements are the things that popped into my head whenever I associated myself with the thought of joining the cult of a sorority. As the oldest daughter, the oldest cousin, and the oldest grandchild (no pressure) I never had that cool older figure to retrieve advice from about the wonders and fears of life, no one to give me advice on boys or  the biggest decision of your life: college.     

So, before I hit the college scene, whenever someone would ask me my thoughts on joining a sorority I, naturally, would look to the stereotypical movies that were involved with Greek life. My ideas  on sorority life came from Animal House, House Bunny, even Monsters University!  Let's just say I was not intrigued to join the Greek life scene after sororities seemed to be portrayed as ditzy blondes who get around at frat houses while all being a size two.  

I cannot help to look back, about three months ago, to what I thought sorority life was going to be like, and just laugh to myself. Plot twist -- now, I am in love with Greek life and my sorority even more! Being in a sorority gave me a good 180 degree turn on how I perceived the sorority system and, more importantly, the girls within it.  

Throughout recruitment, my eyes were opened to the wonders of how each sorority is affiliated with a philanthropy that assists with raising awareness and money for the cause in their own ways. None of the movies I watched noted anything about that! For instance, my sorority -- Chi Omega -- works with Make-A–Wish Foundation, and we hold an event called Wings For Wishes where we sell Buffalo wings to raise money for the organization. Even as a naïve freshman, these philanthropies that all the sororities work with and all the events everyone attends of each other’s philanthropies, creates a lot of pride that I have for the Greek life on my campus.      

Throughout recruitment I never once met a ditsy blonde girl who only cared about my looks to enhance their sorority.  Instead, I was graced with numerous personality types, morals, and conversations that allowed me to challenge myself with the question of do I fully belong here in this house, or not. Figuring out that decision on my own, without the help of an older sibling or the knowledge of one house being better then the other, allowed me and many other girls to step back and look within to answer the question as to whether this is the place for me and, ultimately, who do I want to shape myself to be with the help of my sorority sisters.     

With sorority life, I find beauty in not letting a house, clothing, or Greek letters define who you are, but rather each one of your sorority sisters add a piece of their own uniqueness and spunk into the mold of who you want to surround yourself with in the making of who you want to become.      

Going through the roller coaster of sorority recruitment alone, not only as the oldest in the family, but also in the physicality of it, I was graced with many wonderful experiences that have already shaped into who I want to be, today. To stand back and cherish this moment of paving my own way into the woman I thrive to become, through the help of my sorority, would have made me laugh at the thought of it, three months ago.  Now, I can safely say that you should never look to movies for advice on Greek life.