Erin

Sorority Life Misconceptions.

Written by Erin Donovan (pictured above)

September is coming. We all hear it. “Go Greek!” or “Go Panhel!” etc. etc. I was annoyed. I had just moved to Chicago and was enjoying my new independence as an eighteen-year-old who lived 300 miles away from home. I had joined organizations on campus and had met some great people in my dorm. Like most people, when I thought of sororities I thought of materialistic and absent-minded girls who only cared about brands, boys, and partying. Sure those things can be great, but I was not interested in being another pretty face in a crowd of matching t-shirts.

I don’t really know the exact reason why I decided to go through recruitment, but I think it’s because I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. So for a week, I dressed up and met with a bunch of girls in beautifully decorated rooms with Greek letters everywhere. At first, I was nervous because I had to meet with girls I did not know at all. The first time I met my sisters I had the worst preconceptions and did not give them a chance. I found my way to a seat with a girl named Katryna and we got talking. After 20 minutes, I was surprised when I was told we had to leave. I did not want to go. I wanted to keep talking to the girls I had just met. They weren't anything like the sorority girls from the movies or TV shows I watched. I should have known better. But, I didn’t. I was too focused on thinking I knew who these girls were before I even met them. I immediately put myself above them and thought I was “too good” for a sorority before I even heard what they said.

After I ran home to AOII on bid day I could not have been happier. Not only do I share the same values as my sisters in AOII, but I can completely be myself. I have never felt pressured to act or dress a certain way that makes me uncomfortable. I have helped my sisters raise money for the Arthritis Foundation and attended numerous philanthropy events around campus. I am disappointed that so many people have bad perceptions of sorority women because they are some of the most genuine people I know. Even though we may be wearing matching t-shirts at our philanthropy events, we are individuals in our own right. I am proud to be in Alpha Omicron Pi and every day I am glad that I went through recruitment and left my poor judgment behind. The women I met in recruitment are not just my friends, they are my sisters.