In the fall of 2013, I joined my organization. I fell in love with every single girl in it and everything they stood for. Apparently, when you slap those letters on your chest, t-shirts, or book bag buttons, a label is placed upon you. This is extremely frustrating for us girls that could not be further from the stereotype of a sorority girl. Yes we do some of the basic things we are known for, but here are ten things we are tired of being falsely known for.
1. "So aren't you supposed to own a bunch of Lilly?"
No, actually I am not. No offense to my fellow sorority girls that are obsessed with the pretty colors and patterns because they definitely catch the eye, but Lilly just isn't my style. You can find me at the Nordstrom rack or at Goodwill looking for my next thrift find, honestly. So yes, for those unaware, there are several of us in sororities that could care less if we ever owned any overpriced Lilly Pulitzer pieces.
2. "Like why isn't all of your stuff monogrammed?"
I won't lie, I own a few monograms, but literally only a few. Most of them were given to me as gifts when I first joined my sorority as if I was supposed to own one or else I wasn't really in a sorority. They're cute, but being in a sorority and not having everything I owned monogrammed isn't a rarity. And please stop with the, "Are you going to forget your initials or something?" Get some new material. My mom has monograms and she isn't in a sorority...wrap your head around that. Astounding, isn't it?
3. "Aren't you supposed to be going out all the time?"
"You want to go out with us to this party tonight?" Nah, but a nap sounds dope. Everyone assumes being in Greek life automatically implies you are a raging alcoholic. This is definitely not the case for all of us. I can't speak for the bad apples that give us that image, but us non-typical srat girls will go out every once in a while. Most of the time you'll find us curled up on the couch or in bed with Netflix because that beats a party any day. The grandma life chose us and honestly we are content with it.
4. "So Mommy and Daddy pay for everything, right?"
HAHA. As much as I wish my parents would throw stacks at me, they have taught me the very tough lesson of making my own money in college. Don't get me wrong, my parents would help me out whenever I needed it. I'm in college and they understand it's difficult to have all this homework and class while having to work all the time, but I prefer to make my own money. I will never call my parents up and ask them to pay for things I need when I can simply do that myself. So no, a lot of us in Greek life pay for it ourselves and work entirely through college. Here's to my fellow independent Greek ladies.
5. "You're in a sorority so you can't be that smart, right?"
Actually, we have GPA requirements to be in Greek life, period. I've known so many of my fellow Greeks graduate with 4.0's as well as be very successful in life, so I'm not sure where that one came from. Within the Greek community, we have double majors, triple majors, type A's, and all those in-between.
6. "Wait, you don't have to be tan and blonde to be in a sorority?"
Ahhh, one of the most prominent stereotypes I have heard. Goodness no, not all of us are blonde and tan. We are white, black, Indian, Asian, Muslim, Christian, brunette, blonde, red, and purple-haired beauties. We are all very different in appearance as well as personality wise.
7. "You're in a sorority, so you must sleep around."
This one honestly kills me. Yes, there are those in Greek life that aren't the most pure when it comes to having multiple partners, but since when is that a Greek thing? I have sisters that are virgins, celibate, and ones that have had monogamous relationships for years. This stereotype is one that needs to go right now.
8. "So you must be afraid to get dirty or mess up your nails..."
Apparently since we are in a sorority, we aren't allowed to be outdoorsy or get our hands dirty. I ride four wheelers, love the dirt, fish, hunt, and play sports. Not all of us are afraid to break a nail or get sweaty, so stop that nonsense.
9. "Sorority girls only care about themselves."
Every sorority has a philanthropy of some kind in which we all work hard to raise money for. A lot of us have jobs, internships, or college majors dedicating to helping others. Almost all of the money we get goes to organizations that need it whether it's to fund cancer research or give to women who were domestically abused. Giving is beautiful and it's something Greek women are all about.
10. "So how badly did you get hazed?"
Hazing is so not a thing anymore. Being a part of my organization means learning how to love and accept myself like my sisters do, how to be a leader, and realize my potential. I would never join any type of group that didn't accept me for who I am. There are no fat circling parties or contests to see how many guys we can sleep with in order to get letters. That stuff is literally in the movies and that is the only place, believe us.