Whenever I tell my friends from home that I joined a sorority, they always ask why. And honestly? I couldn't tell you. None of my friends went Greek and I was the first in my family as well and so, of course, I'm also asked what a sorority is and what you do in one. From the outside looking in it's impossible to understand and from the inside looking out it's impossible to describe. That's the infamous phrase every sorority girl lives by because it's so true. When you try to make people understand why you went Greek and why you stayed, it's so hard to translate the reason, yet you know that you wouldn't change a thing. So the best way I try to help people understand is through comparison of something that's more universal.

If there were ever a time to use Harry Potter as an example it's with sororities. The four houses of Hogwarts really emulate sororities and the ideas behind these empowering institutions. So here's a few things that will hopefully help you understand just what my sisterhood is and why I have such a passion for it.

1. Sorting Into A House

While sororities may not have the luxury of using a sorting hat to easily figure out where everyone belongs, the concept is very similar. When searching for the perfect fit, sororities look at your personality and values to see if they align with their own. Just as Gryffindor is known for the brave and bold as Ravenclaw is for imaginative and studious, every sorority has a set of standards that define what the girls in the house stand for. Each sorority has a unique standard, yet all the women who enter come from many different backgrounds and represent the organization in their own way. While interviewing with the girls during recruitment, it may seem terrifying but know that even Harry was nervous about what the hat had to say when he sat down.

2. Placement

As the recruitment process continues, women choose which path they decide to take by chatting with other the sorority women about what they're looking for in a house. Just as in Harry Potter, girls begin to realize aspects of themselves that they otherwise might not have found without speaking about it. After a few rounds of rush, you narrow your choices down and ultimately the last decision is yours, just as the hat takes into consideration your own choice. Once your choice is made and you're given a bid, you get to start your new life with your sisters and know that you have a place you belong.

3. Sisterhood and Camaraderie

One thing that's really cool about Greek life is the close bonds you form with the other girls in your pledge class as well as the older girls as well. At first, I was skeptical about ever reaching a point where I'd call the girls sisters as it seemed so cliche. Yet your first few weeks in the house are spent on educating the new pledges and that forced association really helps you get to know everyone. You hear some amazing stories and learn about these women who all decided to join you on the journey. You begin spending most of your free time with them not because it's required but because you genuinely enjoy your new friends. While you don't need the sorority to help you bond, it definitely is a stepping stone as most girls join sororities seeking friendship which means they're actively seeking other people out as well. There's also something special about sharing the name of the house that's pretty cool. Along with friendship comes a shared rivalry between the other houses. While in Harry Potter it may be extended to Quidditch games and who can be the loudest in the stands and wear the most apparel, but for Greeks it may be something along the lines of "We need to have the best bid day on the block" or "Our recruitment video is going to blow all the other ones out of the water and show we have it together". While you most likely don't hate the other houses and honestly have many friends in them as well, a healthy dose of rivalry can be fun and help encourage you to strive for greatness when competing (even if it's just managing to have the best cumulative GPA score on campus).

4. The Connections

If you've ever watched any film from the Harry Potter franchise you'd recognize that Dumbledore seems to treat the Gryffindors with just a little extra love. Knowing he was a former Gryffindor himself it's easy to question his motive behind his treatment yet at the same time you can't really complain. Sororities are very similar in setting up connections for you as a student and adult in ways such as personal connections with professors or even job connections with fellow alumni. "You're a Slytherin? Oh no way, I was a Slytherin too back in my day!" Just as Hogwarts students may feel connected to other wizards by their houses, sorority girls have a sense of responsibility to treat every sister with respect even if it may be a woman you've never met. By sharing that common thread, you know you've shared similar experiences and felt many of the same emotions as your counterpart which in the business world will for sure help you stand out of the pool of applicants. Even in the classroom, you may have the opportunity to get to know your professors better by exchanging stories of your organization if you happen to share one. It's an exciting feeling that can't be replaced and is so often taken for granted.

5. The Secrets

In Harry Potter, the vast amount of secrets between houses is astounding. From passwords, to hidden corridors, to special artifacts (#mischiefmanaged), to stories about the origin of the houses and the humble beginnings. Each house has a unique set of experiences that set them apart and sororities are no different. Rituals and meetings are often kept hush-hush not because of some cryptic cult-esque reason as everyone seems to believe but for the pure fact that these are experiences that girls in the house get to share with one another. It's something special that bonds everyone and reminds us of why we joined our houses to begin with. Each house has a history and that history is so sacred and special that you want to keep it private, not because you're forced to. This is also something that binds you together as sisters as it makes you realize that these girls all went through the same things with you and experienced the same excitement and same emotions.

While the cute apparel and bubbly songs may be a perk to the Greek life, there's more than just that when it comes to sisterhood. Hopefully, these points have helped you understand my little bit of heaven just that much more, and if not, try it out yourself and you'll see what I mean. I know I've found a family with my sisters just as Harry found his with Gryffindor. And while sororities may not be able to offer me magical powers, the girls I've met along the way have made the experience ten times better than a trip to Hogwarts (although I'd never turn down my owl, which I'm sure is still trying to catch up to me on the road).