The sorority girl is a very fascinating species; she is tall, slender, and possesses a flowing mane of long blonde hair. Her temperament resembles that of an elder Regina George. In her natural habitat on Greek Row she can be seen knocking back Jell-O shots, probably stumbling around making a fool out of herself, and flirting with frat boys sporting togas.
Seriously? This is not the Discovery Channel, and this is not an accurate portrayal of a sorority girl. And yet many people share this stereotype of sororities because of what they see in the media.
I am a sorority girl, and I can tell you from personal experience that this isn’t true. I’ll admit, before I joined I was among the many people who believed this description, and I had no intention of joining a sorority. Thanks to the persuasion of a friend, I decided to give it a shot and was pleasantly surprised to find that I was wrong. But don’t just take my word for it; I’ve interviewed girls from the Panhellenic sororities here at SSU that will be able to give you a broader perspective of who we are and what we do.
Let me get you started by explaining first what a sorority actually is. By definition it is a society or club of women; in the more general sense it is a social organization. We don’t tend to refer to it as a club because it seems too broad of a word to describe us; most clubs don’t have a lifetime commitment. Typically sororities put on events like formals, mixers (social gatherings), and fundraisers for philanthropies.
What are philanthropies? Each sorority has an official charity that they donate and raise money for, these are called philanthropies. These include organizations like the National Kidney Foundation, Ronald McDonald Houses, Autism Speaks and Campfire USA. Interestingly, most people don’t know that most of the donated funds that go to these organizations come from Greek organizations. In fact, Alpha Gamma Delta runs one of the most popular fundraising events on campus, Lip Jam, which contributes thousands of dollars towards research for juvenile diabetes. Pretty cool huh?
Enough of the technical boring stuff, let’s get down to business. I could spend this entire article shooting out facts, but I know you’ll just stop reading and go on Facebook. That’s what I would do. So instead I’m going to let you hear from the girls themselves:
What made you decide to Rush?
Trista Davisson (Gamma Phi Beta): I rushed as a junior. A lot of my friends who are in sororities said that they loved sorority life and I wanted to be a part of that. I also loved doing volunteer and philanthropic work in high school but found difficulty doing activities as I came to college.
Shelby Mitchler (Phi Sigma Sigma): I rushed as a sophomore. I didn’t make any really close friends freshmen year and joining a sorority introduced me to my best friends. Plus there’s not much to do in Rohnert Park so it keeps me busy.
Katelyn Robb (Alpha Xi Delta):I wanted to get more involved on campus and I was told by a lot of people that sorority was a good opportunity and I decided to go for it.
Angie Garcia (Alpha Gamma Delta): I did it right away as a freshman. All of my roommates were going through recruitment so we decided to all rush together. Being in a sorority was something I always wanted to do before coming to college.
Lindsey Powell (AGD): I rushed as a freshmen because I was on soccer team and student body in high school and I wanted that sense of comradeship from a group of girls, like my soccer team.
What are some positive aspects of Greek life?
Becca Pilkington (Alpha Delta Pi): It gives you a lot of experience with mastering skills that will help you in the real world. Like putting together events for over 100 people, it really comes in handy! You learn how to communicate effectively amongst chapter members and officers above you, which will help you in the real world. Sorority gives you a lot of experience in being professional because it’s like a business.
Trista Davisson (GphiB): I feel being a part of Greek life gives people tools such as the ability to network, leadership skills, and how to be a personable individual.
Katelyn Robb (AXiD): I get to meet a lot of wonderful sisters, people who will be in my wedding someday. I feel more a part of the school, and get more involved.
Alex Lopez (PhiSig): You get a deeper connection with sisters interested in the same things as you. And once you get into a leadership position you realize your potential and challenge yourself higher.
Lindsey Powell (AGD): Since the campus is so small, Greek Life makes me feel like I know everybody. It broadens the group of friends and peers that you can utilize for school. There’s so many leadership opportunities, both within sorority and around campus. It’s run like a business, so there’s many committees and it gives you long lasting organization skills.
Danielle Lisius (AXiD): The networking. You make really great friends and you meet people that are on similar paths as you with similar interests while being completely unique at the same time.
Erin Fox (GphiB): I have met the best friends of my entire life. I literally have never laughed so hard or done so much community service. It has helped me grow and I feel like I’m better at public speaking and organizing my time or events. Recruitment has even helped me when it comes to interviewing and small talk.
Do you feel joining a sorority is like paying for friends?
Shelby Mitchler (PhiSig): That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! When you were a kid you paid to be on sports teams and go to camps. Why is that not considered paying for friends? Sorority isn’t any different; you pay for the activities and the letters, the lifelong friends you make are a bonus.
Becca Pilkington (ADPi): It funds the activities and events that we do. I’ve met some of my best friends through sorority I can say that even if I paid for them it was worth it. I would say I didn’t pay enough for them.
Trista Davisson (GphiB): I did think that was an aspect of sorority before I joined, but I now know paying dues is necessary for us to carry out events and make an impact on our community.
Angie Garcia (AGD): I don’t agree with that. I choose to be friends with these girls not just because they’re in my sorority. We pay to be involved in events on campus, we don’t pay for friends. We pay for events, formals, and fun stuff, not for each other.
What does sisterhood mean to you?
Shelby Mitchler (PhiSig): When you’re stuck with the same people for twenty hours in a week for recruitment, you know these people are more than your friends; they’re your sisters. Sisters are also there to support you during the tough moments of your life. When my Dad died this year my phone was flooded with text messages and my Facebook wall was full of comforting comments left by my sisters. Some of them even skipped class and stayed over at my place once they found out. I had to force them to go back home. They took care of me and helped me cope during this tough time.
Danielle Lisius (AXiD): Sisterhood means having a group of girls that will love you at your best and your worst. You can truly be yourself with your sisters and not be embarrassed. An average walk across campus can turn into spectacular walk with just the sight of one sister. That’s how I excited I get when I see a sister. It’s just so amazing to be a part of something so big and knowing that all of your sisters have your back no matter what.
Becca Pilkington (ADPi): Sisterhood is, despite having a million and one differences, sharing the same values deep down. It’s just like having a biological sister- you may not be very close with them, but it doesn’t mean that if they need your help, you aren’t going to be there for them. I think my step-sister described it best: “It means that if I need a tampon and I see a girl in my letters on campus, I can walk up to her and ask if she has one, and it isn’t weird.”
Lindsey Powell (AGD): Sisterhood is everything, not to sound cliche. But they are my family. I’m far from home, I don’t go home to so cal ever and so my sisters are there when I need them. When I want to watch TV in my PJ’s they’re there or go out and have a good time, even when I don’t want them to be there they are there. They are always there and that’s the great thing that I love about them. They’re family, and I think that’s what sisterhood ultimately is.
Do you feel SSU sororities fit the stereotype of Greek life portrayed in the media? Why or why not?
Trista Davisson (GphiB) : The reason why I did NOT rush my first year of college was because of the Greek life portrayed in the media. It generalizes all people who are affiliated as hardcore partiers and such. Unlike what I believe is in a normal university, the Greek life at SSU is so prominent in all aspects of school (such as affiliated members in student council, individuals that hold on-campus jobs, are present in classrooms, etc.)
Alex Lopez (PhiSig): No, the campus is small and we all know each other. If a rumor starts we fix it. We do so much for the community, and each sorority has a signature event that raises money for their philanthropy, which does so much for people in need.
Lindsey Powell (AGD): Defintely not. I always tell my friends who go to different schools that I would not rush a sorority at Santa Barbara. I’m not the party girl, I didn’t party in high school. I don’t consider myself the party girl now. I get good grades, double major, graduating in four years and have held positions in sorority and I”ve had jobs and I don’t think you could do that at another school.
Shelby Mitchler (PhiSig): No, I don’t think the west coast really does; it’s more so the east coast that has that rep because that’s where the biggest chapters are. Maybe some individuals do, but not whole organizations.
Angie Garcia (AGD): Not at all. I think there is a lot less cliques. I feel like I’m friends with so many girls in different sororities and there’s not a lot of hatred towards other girls just because their in another sorority. Sorority girls here at SSU are so involved in other things outside of sorority.
What would you say to someone considering Rush in the fall?
Jordan Duke (ADPi): To definitely Rush because you become more involved and you make more friends. You’re not going to enjoy your experience here at Sonoma if you don’t get involved in something.
Katelyn Robb (AXiD): Go for it, it’s a great opportunity. You have to be a part of it to understand it. You get involved, it keeps you busy.
Becca Pilkington (ADPi): Definitely look into it, try doing some research, ask as many questions as you want to. Find out everything you need to know. For some people, it’s just not for them. Even if you don’t get in you still meet people during the process and at least you can say you have done it before you dismiss it.
Angie Garcia (AGD): Absolutely do it! I promise it’s the best decision you’ll ever make.
Danielle Lisius (AXiD): Don’t do it just for the social scene, sisterhood is so much more than that. Keep an open mind during recruitment because everyone has something to bring to the table.
Shelby Mitchler (PhiSig): Definitely go for it. I was scared my first day too. You’re going to meet people who don’t like you, but you’ll end up where you belong. It doesn’t hurt to try, it’s only one weekend. If it’s not for you then that’s ok, there’s nothing wrong with that.
I think Shelby said it best: it can’t hurt to try.
Do any of these girls sound like they represent the drunken, shallow girls of the television world? I think not. The sororities of Sonoma State bring so many positive contributions to campus. Did you know that the majority of volunteers for Sonoma Serves were Greek? They gave up their Saturday to do thousands of dollars worth of work in the local community for free.
For those of you who are still skeptical, I’m going to relay some words I heard from a public speaker once, “You can’t really experience something unbiased, unless you’re ready to be proven wrong.”
Are you ready for us to prove you wrong? Come on out to Rush next year and meet the girls, but until then talk to them about why they love their sorority and feel free to ask questions. We don’t bite: we promise!
Check out the Panehellenic page here to learn more!