Let’s get this straight. I’m not bitter because Delta Nu turned me down and Elle Woods said my cuticle care wasn’t up to snuff. I’m a girly girl who loves Sephora and Starbucks as much as the next red-blooded, American 20-something, and I had dreams of being part of a sorority when I went to college.
Today, I have Greek friends, non-Greek friends, pre-Greek friends, post-Greek friends and ex-Greek friends, and each and every one of them has a different story to tell about Greek life on campus. Now that I’m a senior, looking back I could never envision myself in a sorority, but that was a different story several years ago. Freshman year I had one thing and one thing only on my mind.
No matter what, I was going Greek.
At the beginning of my first year at Western Kentucky University, I decided that I wanted to rush. Not because I had a longing for sisterhood or wanted to impact my community, but because I wanted to, you know, fit in, have friends, make memories like every other girl my age.
I went to the student clubs and organizations fair in Preston Gym and, like any true pre-Greek, gathered stacks of pamphlets, signed up for weekly emails and listened to dozens of promising speeches from girls with stickers on their faces and funny looking letters on their backs who were all encouraging me to be the next Kappa Delta or Chi Omega. With a bag full of flyers and free pens, I walked up to at least my 15th table of the day and was handed a pamphlet by a tall, cheery African-American girl.
She told me all about her chapter, the non-profit work they do in the community, and the “strong bonds of sisterhood” that every other smiling girl had been telling me about.
More and more, things started to seem less sincere and more rehearsed.
I took the pamphlet and put my name on yet another email list before making a beeline for the Omega Phi Delta table – more free pens – not thinking twice about the encounter. Two tables later, a husky frat guy was gushing about the parties in his coed chapter when it hit me like a runaway train. I froze in place, dropped the pen I was using to sign away another piece of my soul, and glanced back at the line of tables.
Every single Greek organization was racially segregated.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I backtracked through the Greek Life section of the fair again, this time with new eyes. I searched and searched for just one chapter with mixed races.
There were absolutely none.
Not being naïve, I had heard of all-white and all-black chapters, but there were no multi-race chapters at all. If any did exist, they obviously weren’t too well known.
As I am approaching graduation all these years later, this is one memory that I carry with me that makes me never regret not pledging. Racial segregation wasn’t the only reason I didn’t go Greek. There were many other factors that contributed to my decision to stay “Greekless”, and here are 12 of them.
1. Too Exclusive.
Did you know Greek organizations began as “secret societies?" I liked the idea being part of something special (complete with secret handshakes and keg parties) but it's nothing more than classism, which is just wrong. There is social power in fraternities and sororities and a lot of them were only inclusive of, oh, come on, let’s be honest; pretty girls and pretty guys. Instead of learning to build self-esteem, I was met with a hierarchal social system that boasted positivity and fun, yet only granted access to those with money, social skills, good looks and fame (social media and popularity).
2. Cape Doesn’t Equal Hero.
Super hero? More like super zero. Individual Greek chapters do some pretty awesome things with other volunteer organizations, but that doesn’t mean the entire system is perfect. Greek Organizations didn't create issues like homophobia, racism and sexism, but they do sometimes create an environment that allows these issues to grow. Last semester I joined Student Ambassador Service, a non-Greek organization that recruits students to volunteer at non-profits all over the city. If you want to save Metropolis, you don't have to be a super Greek to do it.
3. Discrimination? No Thanks.
If I wanted to be judged I'd go visit my Great Aunt Cheryl in Atlanta. Greek organizations have an unfortunately long history of discrimination based on religion, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and personality. Between Syrian unrest and all the buzz over Caitlyn Jenner, I don't know anyone who has time for that kind of nonsense. It's 2016 not 1960. We've already got our civil rights so why are we still fighting for them?
4. Greek Organizations are not LGBTQ Friendly.
Transphobia, homophobia and intersexphobia are still big issues. It’s not “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” it’s just, “Don’t.”
5. Greek Doesn’t Guarantee.
A recent Gallup poll showed 16 percent of Greek college graduates were more likely to "report being emotionally supported and having experiential and deep learning activities" in college. But out of the 30,000 Greeks polled, that leaves a lot of room for dissatisfaction. And there is a lot of it.
6. It’s Not My Only Option.
Being non-Greek doesn’t promise me success but neither does being Greek. The truth is, there are dozens of other avenues to go down that can get me where I want to go.
7. I'm An Outgoing Introvert.
I’ve had my wild nights just like every other 20-something, but my party days are over. I’d rather read a book of 20th century poetry in the campus café all night than spend it in a frat house with my head in the toilet. I'm too old for this, and by old I mean elderly.
8. I Don't Drink.
They don’t say it out loud, but most Greeks throw parties that expect everyone there to drink. Although there are safe methods of drinking, it’s hardly ever practiced.
9. Sisterhood Isn’t Real.
Being loyal to a sorority or fraternity usually means abandoning certain beliefs in morals. I hear about a lot of backstabbing that goes on in sororities. I get enough of that in Shakespearean Literature.
10. I Don’t Have the Time or the Money.
Sororities are time consuming, and because membership and all other fees are more than me – and most poor college students – can afford.
11. I Want Good Grades.
Because Greek Life is so time consuming, it would take my focus off my studies. I'd rather get A's.
12. Because I'm Unique.
I don't want to fit in. I was born to stand out and stand alone, and I don't mind it at all.
