Why I Went Greek - And Why You Should Too

Fraternities and sororities have faced a lot of scrutiny over the years, and the communities seem to be dwindling down. The negative stories about hazing grab the headlines and conversations about whether Greek life should even exist begin to reignite. It makes one step back and wonder “why would I ever want to join this type of community?”

Greek life isn’t for everyone. Those stories out there do happen and it can be scary to see so much controversy over an organization you join as a young adult. But going Greek also opens up many doors for students, and these are the type of things that aren’t covered by the media.

Over the past weeks on this blog you have been able to learn about the different councils your school may have, and also seen how important it really is to think and learn about going Greek before joining a fraternity or sorority. Everyone has different experiences with Greek life, some positive and unfortunately some negative. I have been lucky to have an amazing sorority experience, and if you go in with the right mindset and have done the proper research, you can have a great experience too. If you’re still not convinced, here’s my story.

I joined the same sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha, as my actual big sister.

My sister joined her sorority three years before I was even in college. When she made that decision, I thought she was insane. I used every line in the book, “you’re just going to party all of the time” “you’re not going to have enough time to commit” and of course, “you’re just paying for your friends”. I truly couldn’t understand her decision until I started to see how much it enhanced her college experience. She was serving on her chapter executive board, helping other girls join organizations as a recruitment counselor, and even met her boyfriend at a Greek wide philanthropy event, (yes, an ACTUAL philanthropy event). 

By the time I came to college I had seen how much being in her sorority had impacted her, and what a positive experience she had, I knew I wanted to go through recruitment and find my home just like she did.

Joining my sorority is what I believe to be one of the biggest defining moments for my college experience. After joining, I gained a support system of sisters who inspired me to take on new things. It was an older sister who encouraged me to join the Longwood Ambassadors and take on the role of a tour guide. It was a different sister who told me to apply for the College Panhellenic Council as well as a recruitment counselor, two experiences I credit with my decision to go into Higher Education. I have had the opportunity to serve on the executive board for my sorority just like my sister did, a position that has helped me meet so many of my chapter’s amazing alumnae, alumnae who are helping me right now with my grad school journey.

Going Greek allowed me to get involved with different philanthropy events, and I gained an entire new community around me. Being a part of the Greek community at Longwood has been one of the greatest parts of my journey as a college student, and when I graduate it will be of the things I miss most. I encourage you to embark on the adventure that is going Greek, find your family, and find yourself in the process.