A look inside sorority life

A look inside sorority life

Emily Bissel

Contributing Writer

When the word sorority is brought up in conversation, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Usually for those not involved in Greek life, this word is associated with parties, boys and booze.  However, this is the Hollywood’s representation of the Greek culture; it is nothing compared to the reality of this lifestyle.  As a sorority girl, my goal is to break the stereotypes surrounding Greek organizations and to give an inside look at what sorority life is really all about. 

As a member of one of the Greek organizations on campus, we have to hold ourselves to high standards of sisterhood, scholarship, philanthropy, and self.  These are the four main values held by all sororities, and they must be followed in order to remain an active member on campus.

Sisterhood is one of the most important aspects of our organization, and I have learned that blood does not always define sisterly bond.  By joining a sorority, every one of its members – from McNeese University to Boston University – is my sister.  This may seem like a strange relationship at first, but as a member of the same organization, we all come together by sharing the same letters on our chests, and we have a strong bond of friendship, respect, and love for our sisters.  These are the girls that will always be able to rely on no matter where we go, whether it’s needing support through a difficult time in our lives, or needing a connection in another state for our newest endeavor.  I have seen for myself that within a few days of joining my sorority, I had already made lifelong friends and found my future bridesmaids just inside our house on campus.

So, what goes on behind those closed doors lining Greek row? Studying, homework, and more studying.  This may come as a surprise, because of the stereotypes that we are all too busy partying and barely scraping by with our grades to actually focus on school, but scholarship is one of the four main values that sorority life is founded upon.  If a sister does not have her grades, she is placed on academic probation and is required to get study hours and to fill out grade sheets for all of her classes.  Academic probation also keeps a sister from being able to participate in all of the great events that go on, such as dances and socials and these are all fun things that no one wants to miss out on.  As a chapter, we are continuously striving for academic excellence, and one of the greatest features of the scholarship we have are the study nights offered twice a week at the house.  This is a time that we can get together and help each other in classes, especially since our majors range anywhere from English to Engineering.  There is always a sister able to help out in difficult subjects.  We are constantly offering our help and advice, and one of the keys to success in academics is having a great support system.

Besides studying, we also participate in not just our own philanthropy, but also the philanthropies of fellow Greeks.  Volunteer work is an essential part of being Greek, because not only do we live for our sisters, but we also live for those in our surrounding community.  Every year on campus, the sororities hold fun, great events for people to participate in and to help raise money for their causes.  For example, Phi Mu hosts Man of the Year and all of their proceeds go to the Children’s Miracle Network; Chi Omega holds their Race for a Wish benefitting the Make a Wish Foundation; and Alpha Delta Pi puts on their Song Fest Competition to help the Ronald McDonald House.

One of the biggest misconceptions of sorority girls is that we are all identical: stereotypical wealthy blondes having less than average intelligence and the same set of beliefs; we drink our Starbucks and eat our salads and carry our Very Bradley book bags.  This stereotype cannot be any further from the truth.  The truth is that we are all different and that is something we pride ourselves in.  In my sorority alone, we have women ranging from Christians to Mormons to Buddhists: women of all different ethnic diversities.  We have the ones that live off of fast food and pizza, and the ones that are vegetarians. We have women who perform in pageants almost every other weekend, and women who go mud riding.  No one is exactly the same, but what we all have in common is our love, respect, and support for one another’s interests. 

So is Greek life really all that is portrayed in Hollywood films like House Bunny and Sydney White? Not even close.  The reality is that when becoming involved in a sorority, the organization becomes a second home.  It is a place where a girl can flourish and develop into the strong woman she wishes to be.