When you think of sororities, you probably think of girls wearing nice clothes at big parties with attractive boys. Thanks to movies, social media and some popular beliefs, this is a pretty common stereotype. But that is not what it’s all about. There’s so many reasons why being in a sorority is awesome that have nothing to do with being superficial.
CharityI serve as my sorority’s philanthropy chair, and we participate in many events for charity outside and inside the Greek system. Greek life makes up a huge part of Dance Marathon, March of Dimes and Relay for Life. We also participate in every fraternity’s charity tournament for their national philanthropic chapter. Our volunteering and philanthropy work overwhelmingly exceed any other activity we do.
Leadership There are so many opportunities for leadership positions, and through all of them you gain great experience with budgeting, meeting deadlines, planning events and collaborating with others. You know, all that stuff that happens in the real world too. It’s a great learning experience and gives you great hands-on experience.
Academics In a sorority, it’s easy to find study buddies for the LSAT or MCAT or to have mentors guide you and tell you what professors to take and how to study for their exams. Sororities also require certain GPAs and often have study hours for those needing that extra push. I love easily finding people with my same major, minor and career path. I sign up for classes with sisters, and it makes them a lot less scary.
Networking You learn how to work really well with others in a sorority setting. You get to meet and network with people from all parts of UF, from department leaders to other Greek life people, and other organizations as well. Plus, alumni of sororities are always looking to help out sisters. It puts you in a web where you can connect and network all over campus and the world.
Involvement You have so many people in your chapter that everyone is involved with other things, too. You can easily get involved with student government, Relay for Life, homecoming, multicultural societies, dance teams or whatever because you probably have a sister involved in it too, or a sister can connect you to someone who is.
SisterhoodBest of all, and I know it’s corny to say, but your sisters love you and have your back. Seriously. Not everyone is going to be your best friend, but you have love and respect for all of them because they are part of your large and loving family. I frequently see sisters reaching out to others in their time of need, no matter how trivial that need is and regardless of if they are best friends are not. To quote Lilo and Stitch, “Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind.” That’s sisterhood in a sorority.
Be thankful for your sisters, ladies!
Photo Credit: sigmakappa.org