I am a college student, a sorority sister, and also a human. I love a good mixer with a fun fraternity and getting to wear their letters on a P.R. item for my chapter. I love wearing my own letters and monagramming the front of my Macbook with sorority stickers, putting letters on my social media profiles, and discussing Greek week and philanthropy events with members of other chapters. I love being a part of Greek life at college, but my chapter's reputation does not define me. Whether or not I am considered “top tier," does not define me, or my sisters.

Greek life is a great thing, and anyone you talk to who is part of it will agree with that. It makes a “medium/large" sized campus like Delaware feel smaller, comfortable, and more like home. Being Greek has an abundance of benefits. But there is just one downfall I can't seem to let go of -- the social stigma of whether or not a chapter is in the “top tier" rankings out of all of the chapters at a school.

Before spring recruitment freshman year, everyone had friends from all over, from dorm life, clubs or student groups. During and after recruitment, those friends ended up in the same, or different, chapters. And, sadly, for some friendships the letters people ended up wearing determined if that friendship lasted. The letters you wear should not hurt a relationship or impact your reputation. Being in Greek life is supposed to be fun and open up more opportunities to enhance your college experience.

As Carrie Bradshaw would say, I couldn't help but wonder what does “top tier" mean, and why does it matter so much? From society's definition, “top tier" means all the people in a specific chapter are the most attractive, coolest, throw the best parties, are the most popular and, overall, have the best reputations on campus.

Throughout sorority recruitment, we are told to go into the process with an open mind. So many people get caught up in the reward value of being in the most popular chapters on campus, regardless of the actual connections between the people in it. Who defines which sorority or fraternity is the best, and why do so many people get so carried away about it?

From experience, “top tier" is a very condescending term. At any college, there is such a variety of people to meet and so many opportunities to befriend different groups of people. Who cares what chapter I decided to join to expand my horizons? Just because someone wears letters that are not from the “hottest" chapter, does not make them any less of a person. Any fraternity brother or sorority sister can say they love their chapter all the same. The stitched letters on my American Apparel V-neck should not make or break my social status.

Regardless of what letters are worn, most people end up finding their home in Greek life and the place they fit in the best with the people they connect with the best. So what if my chapter is not full of the next Victoria's Secret Angels? Does that change how I feel about my sisters? Should that make me any less deserving to wear my letters around campus? No one should have to feel bad if the fraternity brothers they are mixing with next week are not considered the guys who could be mistaken for Abercrombie & Fitch models. "Top tier" is an overly used, overrated and pessimistic term that should not be an adjective to describe any chapter.

I am a college student who just so happens to be in a sorority. I have friends from all different chapters, and I also love my sisters. I love being involved in Greek life and cannot imagine my life without some of the people I've met through it. I don't really care if the hot, insanely attractive boy who sits next to me in class is in a fraternity who thinks they are “too cool" to socialize with my sorority. It doesn't really matter what percentages my chapter receives on Greekrank.com, or the superficial things said about how attractive my chapter is. Whether or not my sorority is considered “top tier," does not define me.