Recently, sororities have gotten a bad rep from the stereotypical media. When people think of sororities, they typically think that it’s all about partying and having a good time. Yes, girls in sororities like to enjoy time with their sisters, but that is just a fraction of sorority life. I recently joined a sorority in the fall of 2016, and I am here to tell you that it is not all fun and games.

The main purpose of sororities is to give back on a local and national level. Each sorority has one national philanthropy in which they raise an insane amount of money for throughout the year through fun events. Many sororities also have multiple local philanthropies as well in addition to their national one. Philanthropic events such as dance competitions and sports tournaments may get very competitive, but all the competitors are raising a ton of money for their philanthropies at the same time.

Sororities are built upon high standards. Each organization has a set of rules regarding grades, GPA, social media and how to act responsibly in public. These rules hold us to a high standard for future opportunities such as jobs, internships and other on-campus organizations.

Sororities and Greek life, in general, build community. Within your own organization, you get a “big” sorority sister who is there to mentor you and help you throughout college. You also become very close with your pledge class, which is an easy way to make friends in a big college atmosphere. Greek life is one big community that supports each other with their philanthropic events. The Greek life community is made up by many people from all different walks of life, which is great for networking and getting to know people during college.

Yes, we do have formals, mixers and date parties, which are great ways to meet new people, but that is just a tiny part of sorority life. Overall, sorority life is one big support system that you can lean on during college. I have met some of my best friends in my sorority and in other sororities. It is extremely rewarding and enhances the college experience. It builds confidence in girls and leads them in a positive direction in life.

Sorority girls are not all dumb blondes, or my personal favorite, “paying for friends.” We are an educated group of young women who are striving for successful careers, and our sorority is the backbone leading us towards that success.