Sorority recruitment season at Quinnipiac has finally come to an end, collegiettes! Whether you pledged a sorority or not, I would like to clear the air about some things. Lately, I have been hearing more stereotypes about sororities and quite honestly, I am fed up. I do not think it is fair that people judge something they are not a part of because they do not understand it.
With that being said, here are four truths about sorority life. (Consider them reasons to stop the stereotyping):
1. You do NOT pay for friendships.
This is the most annoying thing to hear. Girls join sororities to meet others who share the same values and create bonds, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, people who join sororities unfortunately do not make friends. Being a sister does not always guarantee you will be friends with everyone in your sorority. You pay for national dues, venue prices, your philanthropy and other things necessary to run any organization, not for friends. Making friends and creating bonds is just another advantage to joining a sorority.
2. There are tremendous networking opportunities.
Contrary to popular belief, sorority girls need to maintain a certain GPA to stay a part of their sorority. This means we care about scholarship. From that, there are networking opportunities right off the bat. Your sister who writes for that awesome magazine? Yeah, she can help you land that job. Your boss was in the same sorority as you? Immediate brownie points.
3. You become a more wholesome person.
It’s true what they say, collegiettes: by giving back to your community you become a better you. Becoming a part of something bigger than yourself makes you incredibly humble. Sororities are all about their philanthropies; they would give the shirt off their backs and every nickel, dime and penny they own for philanthropic projects. With all of the community service that sister engage in, they learn to cherish what they have and become better versions of themselves.
4. You carry on traditions.
Personally, I think it is so cool to be able to say we do some of the same things the founders proposed 120 years ago. Yes, there are secret rituals and traditions only members of the sorority may know, but we are not a cult. We do not praise any skeptical higher being. Rather, we simply practice traditions and rituals that are special to our sorority and that were made many years ago. Sometimes, you may even get to make some of your own traditions within your sorority. How cool is that—knowing people years from now will practice something you created?!
If you are ever considering (or not considering!) rushing a sorority, remind yourself of these four core sorority factors! And remember, collegiettes: there is more to sorority life than meets the eye.
Are there any annoying stereotypes surrounding Greek life that you’d like to clear up? Tweet us @hercampusqu using #sororitytruth!