Greek life is a huge part of college campuses around the united states. Many people have already made up their minds about who a "sorority girl" is before they even meet one. It's so easy to put a label on something that you don't understand and this had led to some serious stereotypes being laid down on Sororities nationwide. Animal House was just a movie! Read on to find out why these stereotypes are just wrong.
1. Sorority girls don't have to work for anything.
I cannot stress to you how incorrect this is. I have close to 200 girls in my sorority and tons of them have part-time jobs in addition to being full-time students. Some of them even write the check for their dues all by themselves with no help from their parents. A few even work FULL TIME on top of school. That's pretty awesome if you ask me.
2. All they do is party.
This is a favorite of mine. I can't count the amount of people who discouraged me from rushing because I would turn into a "party girl". Every single person in a sorority is different. Sure, some of them may enjoy going to parties. But plenty would prefer a movie night with the girls. One girl doesn't represent an entire sorority!
3. They will haze you.
If you have been hazed you should report it to your school immediately. Hazing in any form is not cool at all. In more recent times, sororities put a huge emphasis on NOT hazing. Mine even had us sign contracts pledging not to haze and to report it if it happens to us. Hazing just isn't as common as it once was and many schools have rules in place to protect Greek Life members from the out dated practice.
4. You have to look a certain way.
False. Everyone in my sorority and every sorority on my campus is unique and beautiful in their own way. Not one girl look, talks, or thinks the same. We are all different and that is what makes our sisterhood so strong!
5. You are paying for friends.
Excuse me while I let out a deep sigh. I hear this way too often. Yes, Greek Life is expensive. People do join sororities for the deep feeling of sisterhood that they bring. People also join sororities to be involved on campus, make connections with professional people, be involved in community service, and so much more! Friendship is just a small part of what a sorority represents.
6. Door-stacking is creepy.
Ok I can't argue much with this one. It is a little weird seeing 50+ girls stacked on top of each other and chanting at a door. I can say that many Colleges are beginning to ban this form of recruitment style do to safety concerns.
7. Sorority girls aren't smart.
A lot of big SEC schools are know for having large Sororities. Many of these schools also have crazy hard entrance requirements and only accept the best of the best. On top of just getting into college, sororities often have GPA requirements to keep their members focussed on their academics. These requirements make Greek Life girls some of the most educated, driven people you will ever meet!
8. All they care about is their sorority.
Actually, no. Every single sorority has their own national philanthropic organization. Every single year, sororities raise millions for charities nationwide. And we don't just care about our chapters charity! Sorority sisters go to philanthropy events for fraternities and sororities campus wide to support other Greek Life members and make a difference in the community!
9. Sororities are judgmental and selective.
Formal recruitment is a hard process. A lot of girls are crushed when they get cut from their favorite houses. The truth of the matter is that there are a certain amount of spots in each house. So, yes, sororities are selective in the way they have to narrow over a thousand girls down to around 80, but that doesn't mean they are judging you or don't like you! Everyone is different and so is every sorority. Trust the RUSH process and know you will end up where you belong.
10. They take basic pictures.
Can't deny this one, but nothing beats a cute picture with your sisters!