Although I have blonde hair and blue eyes, that is about as close as I get to the "stereotypical sorority girl." Although I may be biased, I feel that the Greek community really does make a difference and change lives, and not a lot of people acknowledge that outside of those who are active or alum sorority/frat members themselves. More often than not, Greeks are stuck with the labels such as "spoiled," "drunks," "dumb," "stuck up," etc. Although I do believe there can always be a few bad apples in any group, here are some preconceived and completely inaccurate ideas on the topic of Greek life, from someone who is not your typical Greek life girl.
1. "Sorority girls are fake"
Personally, I have RBF (resting bitch face, for those that struggle with acronyms). Instead of stopping and saying hi to people I know when I see them in the dining halls or on my way to class, I try my best to hide in order to avoid a forced conversation, oops. When I like someone, they know and when I don't like someone, I tend to make it pretty obvious, oops again. Although I do have a few Besties for the Resties, I certainly won't and can't have super close relationships with every single person that attends my school, or those who are my sorority for that matter.
2. "Daddy pays for everything, including friends"
Even though my dad is a bad ass, he certainly is not my life line when it comes to my social/finical well being. A HUGE majority of Greeks work in order to support themselves, pay for school, dues, and other necessities, myself included. My friends and sisters would stick by me even if I were dirt poor and money definitely does not make our friendships go round.
3. "Sorority girls are dumb"
In order to be a member of any sorority, there are GPA requirements as well as grade checks and mandatory study hours, all that ensure that our chapters and ourselves, are held accountable for what we do in the classroom. Failure to reach said GPA requirements will result in probation, and no one wants to deal with that. In conclusion, Greek life is filled with a bunch of smarties.
4. "All they do is party and get drunk"
I am a self-proclaimed grandma. Bed by 10:00 PM every night sounds like Heaven. I know a lot of sorority girls who choose to stay in and watch Netflix or study (yes, even on Wednesday nights during BAG or lit weekends at Lumberyard). I support everyone who goes out and get sloppy every weekend (okay, maybe not that crazy) and I also support everyone who stays in and is asleep by 11 PM. Shout out to the party animals, and the grandmas.
5. "All sororities haze"
Not one part of me finds hazing appealing or fun, and the first sign of that would have me running for the hills. Members sign contracts and are morally and legally responsible for reporting any situation that could involve hazing. I am not about that life, and I sincerely hope all other sororities aren't either.
6. "They only care about their looks"
If I could live in over-sized T-shirts and shorts I would. I would get married in a big T-shirt and Norts if it were socially acceptable. I will probably wear over-sized T-shirts and shorts as a granny, years and years from now. I don't remember the last time I ran a brush through my hair and I barely know how makeup works. Although I do care about my appearance and how I present myself, it is definitely not the only thing I care about and is not my one of my top 15 concerns as a college student struggling to stay on top of things. 2XL t-shirts and Norts for life.
7. "They only hang out with their sisters"
Although it is hard not to build friendships with people you see daily, live next to, and have so much in common with, it is impossible to be friends with everyone in your sorority. It is also close to impossible to ONLY be friends with people in your sorority. With everything outside of Greek Life, it is easy to make connections with other greeks and even those who don't participate in Greek life at all. College is all about experiences and memories, all of those I want to do and make with my sisters and those who aren't as well. You can never have too many friends!!!
After reading this over, it could be easy to say, "Well, you are just one person out of the millions that participate and associate with sororities," and that may be true. I could be the only person in a sorority who feels this way about certain stereotypes, and that is so okay. Just like it's okay with feeling the exact opposite as I do about Greek life stereotypes or sororities in general. The choice is yours!
Although being in a sorority may come with some baggage or judgment, I wouldn't change a thing and I am so glad I made the decision to rush; It has changed my life for the better.