10 Common Sorority Myths Debunked

People think sororities are what they see in the movies, when in reality, it is far from it. Unless you are in a sorority, you don’t truly know everything about one. Here are 10 common sorority myths debunked, so people can finally get the facts straight about sororities.

1. All your friends will also be Greek.

This one is only true if you make it true. Don’t get me wrong, you will develop a lot of Greek friendships simply because there’s more opportunity to do so. But by no means do all of your friends have to be Greek. It’s more of a matter of making sure you’re involved in other things and putting yourself in situations to meet those that aren’t part of Greek life. How true this statement is varies from person to person.

2. You’re just paying to have friends.

I believed this one for a while. And while it’s understandable, it’s also a little ignorant. Yes, paying to be in a sorority means you suddenly have hundreds of other girls around you that value similar things. Of course you’re more likely to become friends with these people. But in a way, you could use this same line of thinking to argue that by going to college, you’re paying to have friends. Does that sounds ridiculous to you? Exactly. Paying to put yourself into situations where you’re likely to meet people does not equate to buying friendship.

3. If you’re not in a “top house,” joining a sorority is a waste of time.

Being in a top house is only a big deal if you make it one. While at most schools there’s a lot of squabbling about who’s doing the best on campus, at the end of the day, no one really cares. It’s about actually enjoying your experience. If the girls in your school’s “top house” (it seems like who owns this title is constantly changing) don’t represent you, joining them is going to make your life miserable. Team up with girls you could actually see yourself loving, not with those who you think will boost your social reputation. Four years is a long time to resent your chapter.

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4. Being in a sorority means you won’t have time for anything else.

Again, this is only true if you make it true. Some girls decide to spend their entire college careers dedicated solely to their sorority, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you want to expand your horizons and try other things, you most certainly have time to do so. In Greek life, you get out what you put in. For the most part, you can do as much or as little as you’d like. Yes, doing other things will make it harder to be super involved in the sorority, but if that’s the choice you make, no one’s going to judge you for it.

5. All sorority girls do is party.

Disclaimer: A lot of sorority girls do party a lot. But a lot of them don’t. I have some sisters that don’t go out at all, and others that seem like they go out every day of the week. Sororities within themselves are too diverse to label. You cannot say that every single person in a system of hundreds of thousands of people is doing the same thing. That’s insane. Yes, the partying is there if you want it. But no, we’re not drinking and dancing 24/7. That would be one gnarly hangover.

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6. Sorority girls are superficial.

As much as I love Legally Blonde, that movie gave us some bad reputations. Some girls are going to be superficial; that’s something you simply can’t avoid. But overall, the girls I’ve met in Greek life are some of the most laid-back and genuine people I’ve ever met. We didn’t become friends because we obsessed over the same makeup. (Ok, I’ve made a couple of friends that way. Sue me.) You become friends because these girls inspire you to be better and stick around when it seems like no one else will. And there’s nothing superficial about that.

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7. Sororities associate themselves with a single fraternity.

Now I can’t speak for all sororities everywhere on this one, but for the most part, it’s not true. How dull would that be? Sure, most girls will have a fraternity they prefer over others. But to only hang out with that one fraternity? You can only hang out with the same guys so many times. No one wants that. So don’t worry, you can be in whatever sorority and hang out with whatever fraternity you want. Live your life.

Here’s Why I’m Disaffiliating From My Sorority

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8. Eventually, you must give into your sorority’s stereotype.

Real talk: If you’re joining a sorority, you probably fit at least a little bit of the stereotype in some way. Otherwise, you and the sorority probably wouldn’t have picked each other. But that in no way means you also have to adapt the negative parts of your stereotype. If you’re in the “annoying” sorority, please do not feel the need to become annoying. While sororities do have stereotypes, they also like to broadcast all the unique things about their members as well. But hey, if you’re in the “smartest” sorority, feel free to use that as a means to motivate yourself to study. A little positive peer pressure never hurt anyone.

9. Sorority girls look down on those that are not in a sorority.

I don’t know where this one came from, but it’s insane. If there are sorority girls that shame you for not being Greek, they’re the problem. Honestly, no one cares if you’re Greek or not. I wasn’t Greek for my first two years, and no one thought twice about it. It doesn’t matter. The girls that are going to judge you on that are not the kind of people that you should want to associate with anyway. And if you are one of the people that are shaming non-Greeks, shame on you. I repeat: no one cares.

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10. If you join a sorority, hazing is inevitable.

While this used to be extremely true, times are changing. Most campuses nowadays have very strict rules about hazing. As in, it’s not allowed. While hazing used to be the pride and joy of a lot of Greek organizations, most people now see it for what it is: a backwards power play used by insecure members. There’s seriously no need to haze new members. Why would I spend time making you run around naked when we could go get coffee instead? That sounds like a more pleasant experience for everyone. While not all schools are completely haze-free, hazing should definitely not be the biggest concern of new members.