Greek Life

The first semester of my freshman year of college consisted of the same schedule every week. I would go to school and then straight to work on the days I had it after class. All my friends were away, so I had nothing to do on weekends.

Throughout my entire first semester, I began to get depressed. My friends weren’t home, and I was alone. I had no one to talk to or hang out with. My weekends consisted of me staying home while watching snapchat stories of everyone having the times of their lives. College is supposed to be the time where you meet the people who impact your life. My friends found theirs and I had no one. 

I knew I had to do something at school. I had to get involved in one way or another; I didn't know what to do. There were so many clubs, and I didn't want to make the wrong decision. My social anxieties were coming in quicker and harder than ever. I was unsure of what to do, and hopeless. I debated on whether to get involved or not and was in a state of uncertainty.

When my friends came home for Thanksgiving break, they would talk about how much fun they were having at school. I remember wishing I went away and regretting that I stayed home for college. I wasn’t having the same experience as everyone else. I was miserable and didn’t know anyone besides the kid that sat next to me in class. I dreaded the day they all went back when break was over. I knew I had to go back to being alone and not having anyone else there. Then one day I got a text.

It was from a girl named Nikki telling me about her sorority and how she was hoping I could stop by an event they were having the next week. I remember laughing to myself at the thought of me being in a sorority. I thought just about what everyone else thinks when they hear sorority, girls who pretend to be sisters to throw parties and wear letters on their chest. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

During my first Christmas break in college, I pledged a sorority. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn't know any of these girls, and I honestly was scared. I once again fell back on the stereotypes that come along with Greek Life. I was waiting for them to haze me and make me do stupid things that I wouldn’t want to do. I was terrified of the unknown and my anxieties were at an all time high. And again, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

While pledging, I got to learn more about this sorority I was trying to join. For starters, I learned that we were founded off of safeness and had a strict no hazing policy. That’s when I started to feel more comfortable and was able to put all those commonly known bad stereotypes behind me. During this process not only did I learned about all the good that Greek organizations do to give back and help the community and different charities, I also learned a lot about myself.

When it comes to college, we think parties and kids going wild because it’s what we’re shown. Movies such as Neighbors and Neighbors 2 show Greek Life in college just as people who party and only care about money and drugs. Movies like these in modern society feed into the negative reputation that Greek Life has. Some teenagers see stuff like these movies and jump right in, but others are quite hesitant. 

Many people see Greek Life as different scandals all over the news. They see it as out of control kids who think they are invincible or can't be punished. We see it all the time with deaths caused by hazing or date rape drugs being slipped into girls' cups at parties. Stories like these give Greek Life a bad name and are why there are so many rules and regulations organizations must follow. 

I’ll admit when I first thought of joining a sorority, I thought of all the stories I would see in the news. The stories of kids dying during hazing incidents or at parties or orgs being shut down for drugs and rape accusations. I was nervous as to what I was getting into. My family was even hesitant about me doing it.

I was very back and forth when deciding whether or not to do it. On the one hand, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew the nothing about sororities except what I saw in movies. On the other hand, I couldn't handle feeling depressed and alone anymore. I spoke to one of my friends who is in Chi Omega sorority at Sacred Heart University. I spent hours interviewing her on what she had to do and asking all sorts of hypothetical questions and scenarios. She told me that both of our processes would be different since they were different sororities, but assured me I would be fine. She also said that it was one of the best decisions she's ever made. Its allowed her to meet so many people that she very close with. With this, I made my decision to go to that event that Nikki texted me about.

Joining a sorority was nothing I expected. I expected what everyone else does when they hear sororities. I expected nothing but parties and girls being over obsessed with their bigs and littles. The process of entering one was hard, but it helped me bond with other people. It helped me get over my social anxieties and made me feel less alone. It helped me over come the thought of regretting college and made me the happiest I've been in years.

Greek life introduced me to the best people in my life. The people I met and the relationships I formed are something I will always be grateful for. I have met and became friends with people I would never consider myself to be friends with.

It allowed me to become more open and adventurous. I went on a road trip to Canada with girls who became my close friends. It gave me people to go to when I need to cry, laugh, or confide in. It opened me to a world of people that I would’ve never met.

Sometimes I think it was fate that I fit in perfectly with my sorority. If I wasn’t with my friend on Terrier Tuesday, her friend would’ve never came up to me asking me to put my name and number down on her sign up paper. I would’ve never gotten a text from Nikki asking me to come to an event.

For me personally, Greek Life is nothing that it is portrayed to be. It was the complete opposite. Of course, the getting there is not the same for everyone, but the ending is. At the end, one enters a family. Relationships are built with new people. It is said that when one joins Greek Life that they are in it for ever. It’s probably said because Greek Life bonds people together and gives them something to look back on. When I look back, I know I’ll be happy because I met some of my closest friends through my sorority. That girl Nikki who texted me after Thanksgiving break freshman year is now one of my best friends who I do everything with. It leads you to people who will impact your life.

I used to think it was so strange how people belonging to the same fraternity or sorority would call each other brother and sisters. Having two biological sisters, I wouldn’t think I would understand it. It turns out, that a special bond is made between each person. I guess it’s something one doesn’t understand until they feel it themselves. By joining Zeta Gamma Delta, not only did I gain 40 new friends, I gained 40 new sisters.