Are you sure it’s a good idea? Aren’t they kind of wild? Don’t they take up all of your time? Wow, I didn’t think you’d be one to conform. Don’t they party every single day? What if you get hazed? You’re paying for your friends?

When I told people I wanted to join a sorority, these were the most common replies. Not “Oh! Congrats!” or “That seems like a great way to meet new people!” or “That’ll be fun!” Honestly, every time someone said something stereotypical or degrading about Greek life it really irked me. I wasn't even in a sorority yet and it bothered me. It felt like I was constantly on defense trying to make people understand my choice and encouraging other girls to make the same decision.

I didn’t really understand what the big deal was. With the exception of movies’ and the mainstream media’s depiction of sororities, (which I thought everyone knew not to put a whole lot of faith in) I’d never heard anyone say anything bad about being in a sorority. So why were all these people treating it like it was the worst decision I’d ever made?

As I began my hunt for rec letters, I quickly learned that not everybody shared the narrow-minded opinion about sororities and fraternities. But there was a definitely a trend. Not everyone, but mostly, the people who supported my decision were currently in Greek life, had once been a part of Greek life (do you ever truly leave it?), or were planning on joining Greek life. Those who were current or has-beens were very enthusiastic about their time in the Greek system, and it made me even more excited to count down the days till Rush began.

Now, after one semester in my sorority, after going through Rush, Bid Day, all the swaps, chapter every week, new member meetings, retreats, Big/Little reveal, and finally initiation, I could not be happier with my decision to go Greek.

I stepped onto a campus where I knew one person, and that was, quite literally, it. That one person was my sister. I had no friends. No one to help me make decisions about schedules and which organizations to join. No one to go to each lunch or dinner with. No one to go to football games with. And no one to just call up when you need to vent about that horrible professor. (Of course, my sister was there to help through all of this, but isn’t quite the same as having a gaggle of friends.) Rush was a welcome distraction: worry about friends later, worry about getting into a sorority now.

Two weeks after Bid Day, I had a core group of girl friends that I could do anything with, a sisterhood of nearly 300 of which any I could call and ask advice for anything, and a connection to over a dozen pledge boys who were trying to also figure out what all the Greek letters stood for while still trying to play it cool. Joining a sorority gave me an instant network to fall back on, and everyone in that network wanted to see me and my fellow “babies” succeed, especially in our first semester.

The older girls in my sorority went out of their way to make us all feel welcome and included in everything. They held mock interviews for those trying out for on-campus organizations, took us around campus to help us find our classes before term started, and gave us their phone numbers that way if we were having a complete breakdown they could come give us cookies and coffee. They set up this platform so you could see who was in your classes that way you had someone to sit beside, even if you’d only met them a week ago.

Was it busy? Absolutely! Those first two months, I felt like my sorority was everywhere I turned. But I’m so glad it was because by the end of those first two months, I had no doubt in my mind that I’d met the girls who will one day be in my wedding. They’re the best friends I’ve ever had and, sure, I guess you could say “I paid for them” but hey! They paid for me too, so I guess we’re all pretty valuable. Was I ever hazed? NEVER. My sorority wouldn’t even let the new members fold chairs until after we were officially initiated because they didn’t want us to think they were trying to haze us. Does my sorority make me wild and party every night? No times a thousand. Dare I even say that my sorority even discourages wild partying, especially on a nightly basis. As a matter of fact, my sorority requires at least two proctored hours of studying in the chapter room a week and another two study hours in set destinations recorded by an app. And if your GPA slips, they require more hours of studying that way you’re successful in school. Did I have to conform to some basic rules? Yes, yes I did. But they aren’t so insane and crazy as to make me hate my life. If anything, they’re protecting me from doing something stupid or something I might regret one day.

Greek life isn’t for everyone out there, I’ll go ahead and say that. But with the exception of actually choosing the college I went to, it was the best decision I made since I stepped foot on campus. I met my best friends, have laughed until I cried during meeting and retreats, have an awesome Big who always checks in on me, a President who actually had to suffer through Spanish II with me, and an incredible group of girls behind me and everything that I do.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Alpha Chi Till I Die

Together Let Us Seek the Heights