Glitter is swirling around my hair and my heart begins to race from excitement. Hundreds of girls eagerly chant as we all anxiously wait for our new sisters to arrive. It’s Bid Day, and this is one of the most exciting and gratifying days for sorority women. As my new members come running towards my sorority, I tear up and start running to hug them and excitedly welcome them to the family. Being in a sorority was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Since recruitment just ended, it had me thinking. Sorority women and I love our sororities, but many non-Greek life people negatively look down on sorority women and say some pretty ignorant things to us because of the stigma that surrounds Greek life.
So I gathered a list of phrases that sorority women “just can’t even” listen to anymore.
1. Basically anything involving being “basic” like eating Chipotle and drinking Starbucks.
This may come to a shock to you, but a lot of people like Chipotle and Starbucks – not just sorority women! And plot twist – I don’t even like Chipotle and I’m more of a Dunkin’ Donuts girl anyway. Just sayin’.
2. “Does everyone in your sorority hate each other?”
Just like everyone, you are going to meet people that you will be friends with for the rest of your life and meet other people you just don’t click with. Even then, you’re in a sisterhood. At the end of the day, you are always going to have your sisters’ backs.
3. “Sorority girls are mean.”
I don’t know what it is about sorority girls being labeled as mean, but that is one of the most common things we hear – I personally blame the evil sorority women in 80s movies. We may look intimidating on the outside, but I swear that my dorkiest and goofiest side comes out when I’m with my sisters.
4. “All you guys do is party.”
This is by far one of the most offensive things to say to sorority women. As sorority women, we are required to join clubs outside Greek life to make us more well-rounded individuals. It is also mandatory for sorority women to fulfill a certain amount of community service hours where we participate in other Greek organizations’ philanthropy events along with hosting our own. On top of that, we must maintain a certain G.P.A. If our grades start to slip, we have mandatory study hours with our sisters to help bring our grade up. If anything, sororities make us get even more involved, keep us motivated and mold us into successful women.
5. “Sororities are just based on looks.”
At Penn State, we recruit women for over 50 hours. If we were recruiting girls based on looks, I guarantee you that recruitment would not be as extensive as it is. We take recruitment very seriously because we honestly don’t care about the “prettiest” women. We are truly trying to find women who will fit in our family and help make our chapter grow.
6. “I could never be in a sorority.”
If you don’t see you yourself in a sorority, that’s totally fine because sororities aren’t for everyone! The only thing that’s frustrating is when people say this to you in that condescending tone and go off about how much they hate sororities. It’s really just awkward for everyone involved.
7. “You don’t look like you’d be in a sorority.”
This basically goes off of number 7. But I have to ask, what is a sorority woman supposed to look like? The stereotype is white, blonde and girly. So basically if you’re a woman of color or have a more chill personality, people think you don’t look like a sorority woman. In all honesty, there is no “perfect” sorority woman. Sorority women come from different nationalities, various religions and have unique personalities. Sorority women are diverse and shouldn’t be reprimanded for not looking or acting like the stereotypical sorority woman.
8. “Sorostitutes.”
No. Just no.
9. “You’re just buying friends when you’re in a sorority.”
This is by far one of the most absurd comments you can say to a sorority woman. If you pay dues to get into a school club, are you saying that you’re buying friends? No. You join a club to gain valuable experience while finding a sense of community and making friends along the way – sororities are no different from that.
10. “You’re in a cult.”
You go to Penn State, and that’s all I need to say about that.
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