1. You paid for your friends.

Let me just say that if I paid for my friends, I definitely didn't pay enough. My dues go toward helping my chapter put on events, as well as supporting the organization at a national level. My sisters love me for who I am, not because of a semesterly check I write.

2. You must party every weekend.

Just because I have letters on my shirt doesn't mean I throw a couple back every weekend. In fact, being a part of a Greek organization carries the responsibility to remember that we are always wearing our letters- be that in chapter meetings or in our down time. Therefore we have to be especially cognizant of how we behave, and I believe that being in a sorority has helped me to be aware of holding sisters accountable and keeping one another safe. You are all the more likely to find me this weekend having a girls night in with my sisters, wrapped up in some extra large blankets and eating Nutella pancakes.

3. What is it like to be hazed?

Well, I wouldn't know. Seriously. When I first joined Greek life, they told me that they had a very strict anti-hazing policy, but I was still a little wary. As I spent more time learning about my organization, I realized that they were dead serious. Like, Dixie Chicks serious. My sisters treated me as equals, and reminded me that hazing does nothing to help new members grow into confident, caring sisters. Instead, I learned how to focus on my values, ask intentional questions, and respect others enough to stand up against hazing on a national scale.

4. Can you tell me one of your sorority secrets?

No.

5. You must be really preppy/rich/spoiled.

Here's a fun fact: not all sorority women wear vineyard vines on the regular. While I do have sisters who love to rock their Lilly dresses, I also have sisters who live in athletic clothing and can always be found making gains at the gym. I have sisters with tattoos, piercings, colored hair, and the kindest personalities that anybody could hope for. I have sisters who rock aprons, because they work three jobs to pay for their own college education. I would suggest that before you make a sweeping generalization, try getting to know the girl behind the letters. I guarantee she is so much more than the type of bag she carries.

6. You're totally here for your MRS degree.

Actually, I'm getting my Bachelors degree in Communication Studies, with a double minor in Leadership Studies and Psychology. I did not join Greek life to find a husband or become a trophy wife; I did it to find my home away from home, and to thrive in a group of strong, independent women.

7. Sorority girls are so basic.

Ahh, sweeping generalizations. I've heard this one a lot- "Oh, you're Greek? You must love Starbucks and The Bachelorette. Sorority girls are all the same." Well, actually, I prefer Aromas coffee and my favorite show is the Walking Dead. Even if I did love those things, it doesn't make me "basic" (which is probably the stupidest word I've ever heard, by the way). My sisters are genuine, diverse women who come from all different background and have all different hobbies. My sisters are in bands, they do undergraduate research, they tutor on the weekends, they study every discipline available. We are all so diverse here, but one thing we all have in common? A genuine love for our sisterhood, and a desire to grow as women.

8. Are you in the "top tier" or "bottom tier" chapter?

First off, calling any organization a top or bottom tier completely misses the point of Greek unity. We as separate chapters need to exist harmoniously with our sister organizations, and I'm happy to say that I got to a university that places a heavy emphasis on supporting one another. Every organization is different, with their own strengths and weaknesses. That is what makes them so important, though, because that means that PNM's can find their home at a sisterhood that values the same things she does. We are not top or bottom tier sororities, we are beautifully unique.

9. Do you only date frat guys?

Who I date has more to do with a man's personality, values, and sense of humor than it does with the letters -or lack thereof- on his chest. While being in Greek life has definitely helped me to get to know more people than I did coming in as a freshman, I wasn't looking into the crowd of fraternity men at our mixers in an attempt to single out a future boo. If you meet a really cool guy and he says he's in a fraternity, it doesn't make me feel any differently about him one way or another. When it all comes down to it, I care more about the content of your character than about what organizations you are a part of.

Being in a sorority will change you. You know what? You're actually right about this one. Being a part of my sisterhood has changed me---in the best possible way. I have grown more confidant, more self-assured, and more steadfast in my plans for the future. Being a Greek woman has taught me the importance of hard work, determination, and never giving up on the people that you love. I have learned what true friendships look like, and have grown to appreciate volunteering and service as a part of my college experience. Yes, being in a sorority has changed me. It helped me grow into the best version of myself, and that's something I'll never get tired of hearing.