In response to a recent op-ed published about a HC Columbia writer’s candid experiences with sorority rushing, two current sisters in a Columbia sorority give Her Campus their thoughts on what it means to be in a sisterhood. We at Her Campus Columbia are happy to be able to host a dialogue on the subject of Greek life, one that largely goes neglected by those not in the Greek community. We hope that after reading these articles, you have a more well-rounded and honest perspective of Greek life and what it means to both try to be in and to be in a sorority at Columbia.
T: Sisterhood. That’s the term touted by every sorority on campus during rushing. As someone with two younger sisters, sisterhood is one of the most important parts of my life. When I heard the girls in the recruitment room talking about sisterhood, I was definitely wary. Here’s the thing: Sisterhood means something different to each sorority, which I did not discover until recruitment. I’m not trying to defend the whole recruitment method, or Greek life. I may be in a sorority, but I am not blind to its faults. That’s the deal with any organization you join. That being said, I joined a sorority and it was one of the best decisions of my life. I can’t defend the whole system, but I can offer a perspective from someone who had never considered joining a sorority before coming to Columbia.
L: Like many of the first years on campus, I came to Columbia with every intention of not joining a sorority. I didn’t want to be one of those girls. Then the reality of freshman year hit, adjusting to classes, the city, and Columbia. One of the people who was the most supportive of me during this whole process was my RA. She was a transfer student, super sweet and had had a similar time finding a home at Columbia. With her encouragement, I decided to try recruitment, realizing that judging recruitment went against my personal goal of always being as open-minded as possible to new opportunities and other people. Like Theresa, I don’t want to tout joining a sorority as a way of finding a community at Columbia or a solution to anything. I’m writing this with Theresa to share a positive experience I had with an organization that challenged me to grow and that has been there to support me. I’m writing this in part as a shoutout to all the young women in every sorority and the larger panhellenic organization who spend hours trying to make the hundreds going through recruitment feel welcome. I’m not denying that there aren’t bad experiences (we’ve seen enough blog posts about that and it’s a shame), but those experiences shouldn’t overshadow the positives.
T: I think it’s also hard that, for many people, recruitment is their first experience with Greek life. Recruitment is stressful and terrifying in every single way. Girl-flirting abounds. You know, “Loooove your hair,” “looooooove your jeans,” etc. After my first day, I was exhausted and a stupid smile was permanently plastered on my face. During my last “party” (I know, I know, it’s not an actual party.) I was reaching my limit. But then I met girls who instantly made me feel at home. We talked about something stupid— it might have been Disney movies. I was relaxed and actually enjoying myself. Ultimately, I ended up joining that sorority last year because I most closely identified with their understanding of sisterhood. To me, it represented the whole spectrum from “someone who will edit my essay the night before it’s due,” to “someone who will bake endless amounts of cookies with me for our philanthropy.” Do I love my sorority every second of every day? Yes. Do I like my sorority every second of every day? Hell no. That’s part of being in a family, though. (Excuse the cheesiness. I apologize for that.) Greek life isn’t perfect. My sorority isn’t perfect. I wouldn’t say that it’s my whole life, but it’s a huge part of my experience at Columbia. I have met girls that I want to talk to ten years down the road and beyond. I am lucky to be able to take pride in my house and Greek life as a whole.
L: As someone whose family used to make her compete in beauty pageants (and I absolutely hated it), I initially felt like all the preoccupation with dress and hair during recruitment was an act of shallowness. But once I actually started talking to girls, I remembered that I was talking to people, not Barbies. To be honest, there have been moments during recruitment and even in my time in my sorority where I have questioned whether or not I belong in a Greek organization. Whether it’s a plate of cookies outside my door, just a smile “what’s up” on the street or having lunch with the friends I have made, I remember that while joining a sorority allowed me to meet amazing women with whom I wouldn’t have had the chance to cross paths with otherwise. To me, that’s what half of any organization is all about: meeting cool people you wouldn’t have even known existed before and who might change your life. Theresa and I met and befriended each other in the recruitment line. And just like most people and their friends, I can’t imagine what I would be like without her in my life. Characterizing Greek Organizations as a system, leaves out the strength of the individual relationships formed within. Like my sisters last year who made every effort to get to know me for me and make me feel welcome, I fully intend to do that for my new sisters this year.
T: At the end of the day, Greek life is not for everyone, but it means a lot to those who have chosen to be involved.