I have been fortunate enough to be a part of my sorority for over a year now, and I’ve come to expect the same comments and questions from people outside of Greek Life. These are some misconceptions that people have about sororities and fraternities.

1. "So, are you guys in a cult?"

No, we’re not in a cult. We are a group of women with similar goals, passion for causes, and interests. Those guys over there? They’re also not in a cult. Our letters bond us together with our brothers and sisters; they do not mean that we’re creepy and force people to like us. And no, we’re not throwing up gang signs in our artsy pictures.

2. “I bet there’s a lot of hazing.”

No. Actually, our campus is proud to be very anti-hazing. I know that my sisters care about me and would not ask me to do something that goes against my beliefs and set of morals. Greek Life is often associated with hazing, which is unfortunate. The few, horrible occurrences across the country should not define what Greek Life truly is.

3. “People in Greek Life are stupid.”

We’ve all seen the movies with the stupid fraternity boys and girls who party half naked and jump off the roof for laughs. That’s not what Greek Life is. In reality, the members of Greek Life have relatively high GPAs. The cumulative average for members of Greek Life is actually higher than that of the general student populous. Also, there is a GPA requirement to even become a part of Greek Life, to begin with.

4. “All you do is a party.”

Like I said, those movies give us a bad reputation. The various fraternities and sororities put on dozens of events each semester to support causes, educate the campus, and bring together different groups of people in a non-drinking social setting. The members of Greek Life are often some of the most involved people on campus, in various clubs or activities. There is also a community service requirement for each organization that keeps the members involved in helping those around the community.

5. “So, is that organization your rival?”

No! Just because we’re not in the same organization doesn’t mean we’re pitted against each other (except for Greek Week, bring it on!) No matter the letters, we’re all Greek together. During recruitment all we want is for people to find their home, even if that home may not be with us. There is no ill will between the different organizations. In fact, some of my closest friends are in different organizations.

6. “They’re not even your real family.”

Well, you’re wrong. A wise man once said, “Family doesn't end with blood.” Though I love my brothers and my parents with all of my heart, I also share a special bond with the women who wear my letters. They are an amazing group of women who care for me as if we do share blood. So please don’t dismiss a fraternity or sorority’s bond with each other, because that family could be more supportive and important to them than the one they were born into.

Just because Greek Life may not be for you, doesn’t mean that you should look down on those who choose to be a part of it. I’m proud to be a part of my sorority and I know my fellow members of Greek Life feel the same way. So please, stop spreading the misconceptions and the hatred. The sooner we dispel the stereotypes the sooner we can all work together to make our campus the best that it can be.