Dear Outsider,

To those who have never been a part of the Greek community, it can seem vain and surface level. Truth is, I felt the same way before joining.

There is a ton of stigma around greek life. We've all heard "you pay for your friends" or "you joined for the parties." Contrary to popular belief, greek life is more than just parties and "top" houses. It is a circle of support. It is opportunities for leadership and to become cultured. It is a community there to lift you to your highest potential.

As the first in the family to go greek, I had to sit my parents down and convince them that joining a sorority will better me instead of turning me into a partier as they had assumed. Since then, to their happiness, everything I hoped for during this initial conversation has come true. Greek life has provided friends, connections, opportunities, a home away from home, and more.

Although there are members of the greek community that fit the mold, most have so much more to them. If you take advantage of what greek life can do for you, it will change your life. Every individual is different when given the chance to show themselves.

Before joining greek life, I was terribly shy, desperate for friends, and ready to transfer to a college near home. The greek community provided me with an environment in which I could blossom. My shell has shattered and out has come a person I have always wanted to be.

The poses in the endless sorority pictures on Instagram may be fake, but the sisterhood is real. The women in my chapter have kept me grounded and have shown endless love. They have made me comfortable in my own skin. I am no longer afraid to take a leap of faith because I know that I have 200 women ready to catch me if I fall.

From this support, I have gained the confidence to take advantage of the opportunities that greek life has provided. These span from speakers to leadership to jobs and more.

Within my sorority, I have taken on a leadership position that has already taught me so many life lessons in just a couple of months. These qualities will transfer into any opportunities in the future. Becoming a successful leader does not come easily and mistakes are learning opportunities.

I have made lifelong friends within my own organizations and in others. The amazing women and men surrounding me inspire me every day.

As I look around, I see others that have been impacted by greek life in ways similar to mine. Many have taken on leadership roles on campus, become entrepreneurs, or used the connections greek life provides to work toward their dreams.

So, yes. I do pay to be in greek life and the parties are fun. We take vain pictures and gossip sometimes. But at the end of the day, I can confidently say that my life would not be what it is today if I had never joined Delta Gamma.