Greek life is one of those things that you either love or you hate.
The media often portrays sororities and fraternities in a negative light: preppy, entitled, college kids who are “paying for their friends” and just want to party 24/7. This is the idea that I had in mind all throughout high school and starting college, but after taking a step out of my comfort zone, I realized that my outlook on Greek life was all wrong.
I transferred to Winthrop in the fall of 2018 as a sophomore. I was two hours away from home at a school where I knew less than five people and, as you can guess, I was pretty lonely. Being a complete introvert, making new friends seemed impossible. I knew I needed to join some kind of organization to get more involved on campus, but nothing seemed to be the right fit for me. Then, I went to convocation and learned more about Winthrop’s six sororities. I decided to take my chances and go through informal recruitment, and I ended up receiving a bid from Delta Zeta! It took no time at all for me to realize that this sorority was where I needed to be, and I had made the right choice.
There are a lot of benefits to being in a sorority. Going Greek was exactly what I was looking for, and it could very well be what you are looking for, too.
You will make life-long friendships.
Your sisters will, without a doubt, become some of the greatest friends you have ever had. Not even one month after I joined Delta Zeta, I knew I had met girls that were going to be in my wedding someday. This new family you become a part of will push you to be the best version of yourself, make you laugh until your stomach hurts, and be the shoulder you can lean on when the going gets tough. You will meet your go-to gals.
There are wonderful community service opportunities.
Every Greek organization has a specific philanthropy they fundraise for, and there are an endless amount of opportunities for you to serve your community with your sisters. Not to mention you can support other organizations’ philanthropies, and community service looks great on your resume.
You can gain leadership skills.
Being in a sorority will help you realize that your voice matters. Your sisters will allow you to feel comfortable speaking your mind, and your opinion will be valued. There are many executive committee and chair positions that you are able to apply for.
The traditions give you and your sisters a strong connection.
There are certain rituals for each sorority that only initiated sisters know and understand. Some of these traditions have persisted over a hundred years, and you and your sisters everywhere are the only ones who have experienced this. These practices give you a common ground with not only your chapter, but every chapter of your sorority, which connects you with so many awesome people similar to you.
Greek organizations are one big community.
Despite what you may have seen in the movies, sororities don’t hate each other. In fact, Greek life is like a big family. Of course, you are going to be a little biased to your sorority, but all of the Greek organizations support each other. You can become friends with your sisters, but you are also given the chance to make connections with members of other Greek organizations.
Delta Zeta, just like any sorority, is truly a home away from home. Going Greek was one of my best decisions, and I know you will love it just as much as I do.
Formal recruitment is only a couple of weeks away, and if you’re interested in joining a sorority at Winthrop, you can sign up using this link.
We can’t wait to see all of your beautiful faces on recruitment weekend and see where you run home to. Have an amazing new year, Collegiettes, and remember, go Greek!