Last week an Odyssey article was written targeting Greek affiliated women. The author stated things towards Greek Women that she had no knowledge of, because (surprise) she is not Greek affiliated. However, this article will not be bashful like hers, nor will it target women who are not Greek affiliated, because I will not generalize people like my fellow writer felt fit to do so.
Again, no one is calling her a bitch or crazy like she claimed we might. However, once you verbally go out of your way to judge people, drama explodes, so that is why I hope to take a mature stance and respect my fellow writers opinions, and support her courage, but I will defend the people she judged with angst. So in response, and in defense of all women who are Greek, this is why we are proud of our sororities, and this is why we will defend our letters proudly.
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1. Home away from home
Joining a sorority gave us a home. It gave us a safe place that we could turn to know matter what has happened in our day or in our lives. It gives us a place where we can be 100 percent ourselves and we are accepted no matter what, it gives us the feeling of family, knowing that no matter the circumstance, we will have over 80+ people to cheer us up, make us laugh or hold us when we cry.
2. Being apart of something bigger than ourselves
Every sorority has a philanthropy, each sorority raises money for amazing causes that change people's lives. For example, my sorority nationally raises thousands and thousands of dollars for special needs people, a fellow sorority raises thousands and thousands of dollars for people living with Alzheimer's. We are part of something that is changing the way people see other people, we are apart of something that can change lives, and as far as we are concerned, that is one of the best and most humbling feelings in the world.
3. Grades
An accusation stated that women of Greek life don't pay attention to grades, all we really focus on is partying and we're boy crazy. Well, that is completely wrong. Sororities strive for having the highest GPA on campus, they take pride in that. There is a position in the house that deals with grades and GPA's, unless you are Greek, I guess you wouldn't know that, so I hope this is informative. For an example, entering my freshman year I had a 1.18 GPA, after rushing and getting help from my sorority I raised my GPA 2 whole points, and I promise you it wasn't because I was out getting drunk, it was because my sisters had my back and always helped me when I needed it the most.
4. Acquire time management skills
Greek women learn time management very early after completing "recruitment/rush/whatever you call it." We have to juggle full school work hours, sorority obligations, and most of the time outside working jobs. We do not get handouts from teachers or staff, we work three times as hard, and we work that hard because we absolutely love all the things we are involved in. We have full days from sun up to sun down with no breaks in between, and we are proud of ourselves at the end of the day. Half my sisters are in Nursing School, and I have never seen more hardworking women in my entire life, and those "Greek" people are the people I look up to the most.
5. Networking
By joining sorority life, networking tenfolds. Older sisters help younger sisters acquire jobs and your name gets out there. It ranges from many jobs, it can be as little as helping them get an on campus part time job to helping them get connected with a business firm after graduation. Sorority women are not stupid, nor are they selfish, or lazy, sorority women help each other to be the best versions of themselves they can be. Holding a position in your sorority actually looks really good when looking for jobs, it shows you can handle stress, you can manage your time, and you were responsible enough to run a chapter. Sororities are more than Lily Plitzer and wine.
6. Life long friendships
We do not buy our friends. We pay for dues; dues include housing, food, social events, philanthropy fundraisers, bills, and different things with in the house. You meet your forever friends based on personality and your heart, as cliché as that sounds. During rush, you find your forever home, where you fit in with out a shadow of a doubt, you find friends that accept you no matter your weirdness, no matter your past, and they forgive you 99.9 percent of the time, not because they have to, but because they love you that much.
I am a proud Greek Woman. I am proud of my sisters. I am proud to wear my letters, and I wear them with the utmost pride and passion. I will never speak ill of my chapter, nor women who are not Greek affiliated. Going Greek is a personal choice, choosing to be apart of Greek Life is something that not everyone chooses to do. But if you are not apart of it, you will never understand it. I could list countless of reasons why I rushed, but I don't feel the need to persuade people, I don't feel the need to prove to some one why I love what I love, and why it brings me such joy. I just felt personally responsible for defending greek women. I will not categorize all non-greek women, because it's a choice they made, and it is a choice they chose proudly. I will never regret my choice, because it has saved my life in more ways than one.
"So, if you're starting college in the fall, or you're thinking about rushing... the choice is yours. This is why I did do it. I'm glad I did But I have plenty of friends who didn't like it, and that is okay. It's up to you. That's the beauty of being an adult."
