Sorority Girls. I am sure you have seen them on campus; decked out in brightly colored t-shirts with Greek letters emblazoned on the fronts and a strand of pearls. The average joe usually refers to them as snobs, high maintenance or even sorostitutes (sorority +prostitutes). You probably have the perfect image of them right now; something from the TV show “Greek” or the movie “Animal House”. But before you resort to that dated stereotype, let me cast a new light on these ladies. Let me introduce you to real UT Greek Women.
UT Greek Women are confident, intelligent, charismatic, philanthropic, and leaders. They embody the ideals of sisterhood, leadership, scholarship and service that have been instilled in the Pan-Hellenic community for over 100 years.
The real UT Greek Woman is brave, honorable and best of all, an individual. I know many of you think that sorority girls are ignorant drones that look, talk and think alike, but that is a misconception. One of the most enjoyable aspects of sorority life is the wide variety of women you encounter. I have women from all over the nation and girls straight out of Farragut in my sorority.
There are women who joined sororities because of family and some who joined for a change. “Coming from out of state, I joined a sorority to meet new people and because I was impressed with the high standards each sorority upholds. It gave me a chance to be a part of something higher than myself,” says Allison Quast of Sigma Kappa. Greek Women at UT represent all women from every walk of life. Â
At the University of Tennessee, Greek Women represent almost 18% of the student body. Even though we are largely outnumbered by our fellow classmates, we still manage to hold over 75% of the leadership roles on campus. UT Greek Women are involved in all aspects of campus life including student government, All Campus Events, intramurals, and religious groups. “After being in for a year, I realized so much more my sorority had to offer. I could be involved in not only our national philanthropy, but also support philanthropies from other organizations. I became much more likely to participate in activities because I never had to go at it alone. I also discovered leadership opportunities that I was no longer afraid to go for,” says Jennifer Williams of Sigma Kappa.
Our overall GPA’s are higher compared to that of All-Campus Women. Pan-Hellenic, as well as each individual sorority, strives to maintain a high GPA to not only better the Greek community academically, but the campus as a whole.
Now, don’t get me wrong, we Greek Women are known to live in Hodges, but we sure know how to party hardy. Between mixers, date parties, formals and pub crawls, the UT Greek Woman can bust a move. We can turn anything into a costume including flags, duct tape, and refrigerator boxes. “Getting dressed up in ridiculous costumes and dancing with hot dudes is a good time,” says Abbi Jones of Sigma Kappa. We can make a boring study session into a lively quiz show. We can also take a rainy Sunday and turn it into a movie marathon with our sisters.
Why do these Women love being Greek you may ask? Here’s what some of them had to say.
“I love my sorority because it’s not just partying all the time, like most people’s concept of a sorority is. We do lots of community service work as well as get to meet new people.” – Laura Legg, Gamma Sigma Sigma
“It’s a way of life, where your friends are your sisters and together you tackle your struggles and celebrate your successes. It’s great.” – Jade McConnell, Sigma Kappa
“Joining a sorority is the single best thing I have done in college. I have gained so many leadership and relationship skills by being a Pan-Hellenic woman. I have made the best friends I could ever ask for; “sisters” truly are the best word to describe them.”–Hayley Martin, Former Panhellenic President
So no; being Greek does not make us snobs. And no; being Greek does not make us high maintenance. And a HUGE NO; being Greek does not mean we are sorostitutes. Being Greek means we are striving to be the best women we can be. With stereotypes aside and red lights turned off, I encourage all of you to get to know a Greek Woman on campus. Go up to her and pass your own judgment. Maybe you’ll end up being one of these UT Greek Women too!
My name is Marlowe Whittaker. I am an alumnae member of UT’s Sigma Kappa, Alpha Delta Chapter. Interested in Greek Life? Why not attend the PanHellenic Preview Weekend held on Saturday March 26th from 9-5:30pm. This is a great opportunity to meet undergraduate and alumnae Greek Women of the University of Tennessee.