It’s too often now that I’m scrolling through Facebook or Twitter and I stumble across an article titled “15 Best Sororities in America” or “The Hottest Sorority in the Nation.” I’ll admit that sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me and I’ll click the link to scan through the chapters who have been dubbed “the best” before stopping myself in disgust.

Really?

Is this what it’s come down to?

The true beauty of the entire sorority experience is that everyone has a different one. Who is one nameless writer or one person to judge which chapter is better over others? Every woman and every individual chapter across the nation has something unique to offer. Admittedly, I am one of the lucky people who found a chapter that I grew to love that accepted me, my quirks, and my imperfections wholeheartedly. My chapter provided me with the unconditional support that I so desperately needed as a freshman college student and my sisters continue to inspire and challenge me to learn and develop as a scholar, leader, and young professional even after three years.

I found the chapter that I belong in, but I realize that my chapter isn’t “the best” for everyone. My sorority story would have been a completely different one had I ended up in another chapter that maybe wouldn’t have been the right fit for me. My chapter just happened to be “the best” sorority for me, but it may not be for others. That’s a part of what makes our Panhellenic community so phenomenal. Only you have the ability to shape your own sorority experience and your decision to join a chapter should not be based off of some list floating around on the internet.

Yes, there are things that make each chapter unique otherwise there would be no decision to make during sorority recruitment. Maybe one chapter is “the best” at intramural sports or has the highest GPA in the Fraternity & Sorority Life community. Maybe a different chapter is known for its community service efforts while another is consistently recognized for campus involvement and leadership. It’s okay to take pride in being “the best” at something, but we can not start assigning the title of “the best” to trivial or menial things. So when I see articles being shared on social media titled “The Hottest Sorority Is” or “10 Best-Looking Sororities”, I start asking questions.

Let me preface this by saying that my intention is not to shame you because I honestly don’t think there are enough compliments in our world and there should be more people who are confident and proud of the way they look. But do you really only want to be known as the “hot” sorority? Because I know you and you are so much more than that.

I implore you to take a moment to reflect on why you may have joined a sorority in the first place. Was it to meet new people? To find a support system in college? Get more involved and volunteer on campus? Improve your grades? Or was it just so you could be a part of a group that is considered cool or pretty or better? Honestly, it would be a dream come true to see emphasis placed on those core values of our organizations that our founders originally envisioned.

Scholarship. Courage. Integrity. Support. Service to Others.

Not everything needs to be a competition. Instead of striving to be “the best” sorority on campus, our chapters and chapter members should be focusing on being the best versions of themselves by reconnecting with their fraternal values and striving to make that positive impact. What would our sorority system look like then? What positive impact could we make?

I know that you’re proud to see your chapter among the list of “the best” but, next time, take a moment to think before you share. This article could change someone’s perception on Sorority Life. You could be reaffirming negative stereotypes. You could be influencing a high school senior who just wants to find a place where she’ll be accepted for who she is when she attends university next year. You could be reinforcing someone’s belief that their sorority is worthless because it didn’t make the list. What message do you want to be sending?