As a sorority girl, I have noticed that we, as a whole, get judged a lot. There are many assumptions made by the media and television and movies about sorority girls, but in my experience, none of them are true. So therefore, I have compiled a list of 10 things that people don't understand about sorority girls, in hopes that we can clear things up:

1. "Isn't a sorority just paying for friends?"

Ugh, no. We are paying to take care of our house, initiation and ritual fees, and for our formals and semi-formals. I happen to be very lucky as to consider every girl in my sorority my friend, but they aren't my friends just we're in the same sorority. They're my friends because we genuinely like each other and care about each other's well-being. If I had to, I'd pay a million dollars for these girls.

2. "You guys don't really have a philanthropy, do you?"

Jeez, no. Each sorority had at least one philanthropy, and we care deeply about supporting that charity. All of the money we make during philanthropy events goes toward our philanthropy.

3. "Do you guys haze?"

No. Panhellenic does not allow hazing in any way shape or form. Sisterhood is about love, friendship, and support.

4. "You just hookup with frat guys, don't you?"

No. Are there some girls who do? Yes. But do we all? No, of course not. And no, we don't all sleep around either.

5. "All you guys do is party, right?"

Again, no. We are not required to go to parties. We go to parties just like everyone else. But being in a sorority is so much more than that. It is about learning how to be the best version of yourself and learning how to network and become prepared for your future. We are taught how to dress for interviews, how to communicate professionally, and how to be a strong woman in a male-dominated society.

6. "You don't look like a sorority girl."

Well, that's because we all look different. Sorority girls come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

7. "I could never be in a sorority. It seems so fake."

Don't judge a book by it's cover, my friend. I can confidently say that joining a sorority was the best decision I have made during my college experience. It is so real.

8. "Do you guys hate girls in other sororities?"

No. That is another stereotype made up by the media. I have friends in every sorority on campus, and our Panhellenic community is very strong and we're very supportive of each other.

9. "Tell me about your initiation."

No, that's a ritual, and it's sacred to us. None of us will ever tell you, so just don't bother asking.

10. "Do you wear any clothes besides your letters?"

Well of course. But, in my experience, I have acquired a lot of clothes with my sorority/letters on them, and I am beyond proud to wear them. Our shirts and sweatshirts are often very cute and comfortable, so why wouldn't I want to wear them? Beside, we're not allowed to drink in our letters, so if we want to go out, we obviously have to wear different clothes.

So there you have it. I hope this cleared some things up. Remember not to judge someone by their affiliation; it's not nice. We are so much more than how the media portrays us. Please remember that.

XOXO T