I have only been a member of a sorority for about a semester and a half now, and it didn’t take me very long to notice what stereotypical things people had to say about Greek life. Here are the main things that I hear most of the time that really manage to push my buttons (and those of other girls too, I’m sure).
1. “Why would you want to pay for friends?”
I’m not paying for friends, I’m paying for an experience that gives me the opportunity to be social, give back, and serve as a leader all while networking with others and more. None of my sisters are required to be my friends, just like how I don’t have to be yours.
2. “You’re in that major? Are you even smart enough for that?”
The Greek letters on my cotton v-neck shirt do not determine my level of intelligence, but they did apparently just determine your level of ignorance.
3. “You actually have a life outside of your sorority?”
Yes, I do actually have this “life” that you speak of. I’m a regular person who focuses on their academics and participates in other organizations on campus while additionally making time to hang out with people who aren’t my sisters when I’m not working at my part-time job. But feel free to consider that a “double-life” if that’s hard for you to process somehow.
4. “Wait, you don’t drink and/or party every night? I thought that’s what sororities were for.”
Sororities are for women looking to find other women with similar values in relation to academics, philanthropy and more, and those values don’t include throwing up over a toilet every night.
5. “Oh, you’re just some rich girl.”
There are girls who happen to work so that they can pay for their sorority dues, and others who are lucky enough to have financial aid and scholarships offered by their sorority to help their members pay future dues. But I guess our hard work just makes us rich to you because, once again, the letters on my v-neck manage to define something totally uncorrelated to you. We’re #brokecollegestudents just like you.
6. “You definitely look/don’t look like you belong in a sorority.”
My physical appearance is what you believe determines whether or not I’m in a sorority? I’m sorry that actresses in movies make us out to be something more to you, and that you additionally can’t seem to appreciate that each individual is their own kind of beautiful.
7. “Why would you want to be that kind of person?”
If being THAT kind of person means that I get to raise money for amazing philanthropies, have the opportunity to grow as a leader with positions, and make friends that I know will be in my life for years to come (maybe even forever), then I LOVE being that kind of person. The better question is, why wouldn’t you want to be?
If you think that we’re going to just stand back when stereotypes like this are thrown into our faces, then you’re wrong. Whether or not you want to believe our arguments is your choice, and we’re still going to work hard to represent ourselves well every day despite the ignorant commentary that some people in this world have to offer us. I’m proud to wear my letters and I know they make me better, and that’s all that really matters.