You know the Greek stereotypes; everyone parties, everyone is snotty and stuck up, you pay for your friends, blah, blah, blah. Those expectations cause people to avoid recruitment for a sorority or fraternity and cause resentment of Greek organizations altogether. But I'm about to get really real with all of you: Greek life is nothing like what you expect it to be. Don't believe me? Keep reading.
You hear about the parties, but no one tells you about the impromptu dinners and movie nights after a long day of classes, exams, and work.
I cannot tell you how many texts I got from my sisters saying, "Hey, it's been a long day. Let's grab dinner." Or how many movie nights there are after a brutal exam happens. Yes, you can go to parties, but there is nothing like spending a night with the girls, stuffing your faces with ice cream.
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You hear about the great grades, but no one tells you what you go through to get them.
There is nothing better than a late night in the library with your sisters going just as crazy as you are over the next big exam coming up. My favorite part is motivating each other to stay in the library to study for finals until they bring around the free candy cart at midnight. Not to mention, joining a sorority means that not only do you have sisters, but they can double as tutors too. Study nights with pizza, Netflix in the background, and sisters. There isn't much that can make studying more fun than that.
You see everyone wearing their letters, but no one tells you about the incredible stories you hear from people noticing them.
Walking on a college campus, you're bound to run into at least one person wearing their letters. Once you join, shirts with letters become 90% of your wardrobe. Wearing them out and about is one of my favorite things because you never know when you're going to run into a sister you never knew. One time, I was in Big Lots and I didn't run into a sister, but a little old man who asked me what school I went to because he recognized my letters. I told him and he proceeded to tell me his son had just graduated from my school and about how he just left to go to Haiti to begin his new job teaching. He told me how his son studied abroad and fell in love with helping underprivileged youth. I was so touched by his story and that he reached out to me just because he noticed my Greek letters.
You hear about sisterhood, but no one tells you about finding your person.
Joining a sorority, you get your big, possibly a twin, eventually a little, and the rest of your little Greek fambam. What no one tells you is that you might find your soulmate in another sister who isn't necessarily any of those people. The person who is just like you, who tolerates you when you're cranky, who makes you laugh harder than anyone, who puts you in line when you're wrong, who has seen you at your worst and your best, and who loves you unconditionally and you can't imagine life without them.
You hear about philanthropy, but no one tells you how it truly impacts your life.
When you rush, you hear all about philanthropy. You hear about how much money is raised each year, how Greeks have the most volunteer hours out of any organization on campus, and how much work is put into supporting the charity or organization that is your philanthropy. It never really touches you until you are there, doing the work. During Relay For Life, there was someone from my school who had just beaten their cancer. Her story was remarkable and made us remember why we were all there. During the Luminaria Lap (a lap dedicated to survivors and those who have passed), I saw how cancer had affected my sisters and how much love there is between all of us as everyone supported each other. Philanthropy isn't about getting in your community service hours completed, it's about the lives you touch along the way.
You hear all the rumors and see the stereotypes, but no one tells you that there is nothing like being Greek.
Greek life a great way to meet new people, make new memories, and have incredible new experiences. When I joined my sorority, I felt like a piece of me had been missing for so long, but I was finally complete. I'm so thankful for each and every single one of my sisters; the happiness and love you feel and the support you get from your them is unreal. There is absolutely nothing like the sisterhood and I wouldn't want it any other way.
