10 Cliches About Sorority Girls That Are Not True
Greek life is more often than not, faced with cliches and labels that aren’t remotely true. Although there are probably some exceptions and some Sorority girls truly act like the cliches, that is not how the general population acts. I am a current member of a sorority at my university and I am here to inform you of some preconceived and completely inaccurate ideas about sorority girls. If you are a sorority member yourself, looking into going Greek, or even if you don’t like Greek life, stick around and hear me out. The system shouldn’t be tainted with these untruthful cliches.
1. We don’t care about school
The first of the list of cliches about sorority girls that are false is that we are dumb and that we don’t care about school. This one is a little funny to me because we need to care in order to be active members. There are GPA requirements for all sororities and though they vary, houses are strict about these regulations. Furthermore, we have study hours and grade checks to ensure that we are always keeping on top of our academics. Honestly, in my experience, it was girls who weren’t in Greek life that cared less about school.
2. We only care about looks
Next up on the list of false cliches about sorority girls is that we only care about our looks. Personally, I put in the effort when I need to impress but on a regular basis. Usually, I am looking for comfort in what I wear. From the girls that I know in Greek life at my school, they would say the same thing.
With that being said, this assumption somewhat bothers me because it shouldn’t be an issue if you care about your looks, just as it shouldn’t be if you don’t. Granted, there is much more to life and if caring about how you look is resulting in vanity then it’s time to ease up but that’s not my point. What I am trying to say is no sororities are not all about looks, however, if someone wants to put in extra effort for a confidence boost it shouldn’t be ridiculed and looked at as a bad thing. Likewise, if someone prefers big t-shirts and a messy bun, that shouldn’t be an issue either.
3. All sororities haze
Third, on my list of cliches about sorority girls that are untrue is that we haze. Trust me, I have heard all of the horror stories about sorority hazing and I know these tales have only been perpetuated by movies and tv shows, but sororities actively take an active stand against hazing. There is a no-nonsense policy in place and hazing is quite simply not permitted.
4. We only care about partying
Coming in at number four on my list of false cliches about sorority girls is that we only care about partying. This is a really invalid argument or assumption for a few reasons. Firstly, we’re in college? Don’t the vast majority of kids party in college even if they’re not Greek? Secondly, I don’t really party and I am still in a sorority, what does that say about me? Partying is something kids do, it is not a standard for Greek life or sororities.
5. We are paying for friends
This is an assumption that I have heard quite frequently which is why it’s on my list of illegitimate cliches about sorority girls. Paying for a sorority is no different from if you were paying for an apartment or for a dorm. Additionally, you are paying for formals and events that you will be attending as well as apparel you will wear. Additionally, looking at the future, you are paying to be a part of a group with widespread and longstanding networking connections. All of these things have nothing to do with paying for friendships. You become friends with people through common interests and having fun together, not through payment to a larger corporation.
6. We are only friends with people in our house
Again, a cliche that I hear a lot and one which, in my personal experience, I have not found to be true. When you are a freshman you won’t be rushing immediately when you get to school. During this time you will be meeting new people and making friends. Additionally, during rush, between the rounds you will be talking to girls and getting to know them. You will make friends constantly and though you probably won’t be in the same house, it is likely that you will remain friends.
Though it is understandable where this stereotype comes from as it is so easy to make friends with people that you are constantly around, it is untrue that you can’t also be friends with other people. In fact, it is very unlikely that you wouldn’t be friends with other people on campus.
7. We don’t work for anything
#7 on the list of cliches about sorority girls is that we don’t work for anything. This is untrue and also can be said about girls outside of Greek life so I don’t necessarily see how it is relevant. However, I would say that it is likely that there is socioeconomic diversity within houses that you may have not ever even realized. I know for my house there are many girls who pay for their own dues and any other extras included in the yearly fees but this isn’t advertised and it doesn’t create division. If you need to work to achieve what to want, that is celebrated and supported. So though I am sure some may not work, there is a large portion of the Greek community who do work their butts off.
8. The only reason to join is for partying
Like I said in #4, not everyone parties and it is definitely not the only reason to join Greek life. Yes being social is a large component but it’s college, isn’t it everyone’s goal to meet new people and branch out? With that being said, there are many more opportunities that a sorority can offer you. I would say the most important are the job applicable opportunities. If you join the executive committee or any other role in the house you can add these positions to your resume! These positions will teach you valuable leadership skills as well as foster creativity. If you’re a business major, try for the treasurer position! If you are an HTM major, try for the formal chair position because you will have hands-on experience with event planning. There are so many different things you can do, you just have to get creative!
9. We’re mean
I know this stereotype comes from the various movies like Sydney White and House Bunny but I promise you, we’re not all mean. Yes, there are mean girls but that is true to life, it’s not specific to sororities. There are always going to be mean people but the best thing to do is to avoid them. It does not make the organization all mean or the system mean, it just indicates that one person is angry or insecure with themselves.
10. Philanthropy is a joke
This assumption is most definitely not true from my experience. Being from a house who raises the most money on campus, philanthropy is no joke. All of the girls value and care for the cause and though some people are more passionate than others, everyone works to ensure their participation in the various philanthropic events.
Now I know everyone may not feel the same way as I do, but these are my experiences and what I have seen since going Greek and since many of my friends have gone Greek at other schools. If this really isn’t your thing, I understand but I felt as if it was important for my stories to be shared.
