Unmasking the Sorority Girl: It’s not what you think it is.

Courtesy of Sabah Khokhar

When she smiles, it brightens your day. When you watch her actions, you are inspired by her leadership. When something needs to get done, she’s the one to do it. She volunteers, she works hard at school, AND she’s in a sorority.  Sabah Khokhar, president of the Waterloo Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII), is the definition of bubbly; she speaks with elegance and strength, she isn’t like the sorority girls you think of, in fact, none of them really are like the girls in the movies.

Sabah, a philosophy major with a psych minor, looks at the world with inquisitive eyes, something her major has helped her develop. She analyzes the world through a critical perspective, and actively works to keep an open mind. She knew in her first year that joining a sorority was something she wanted to do, and rushed in the winter term of that year: “I wanted to be part of something bigger, to have a family away from home.” Sabah isn’t alone in this thought, many of the girls who rush a sorority are searching for the same values: they want to be  more involved and gain life long friends. Sabah suggests that any girl looking to make her mark on the Waterloo community, be a part of something bigger, and make connections to last a lifetime, to consider rushing a sorority. It’s why she joined, she stayed, and is so excited to speak on the subject.

Sabah recalls the moment she received a bid from AOII, a moment she will treasure for a lifetime. “It was Winter 2014, I was called out of my apartment by a sister I met during recruitment. I went into the hall to meet some of the ladies, when they began to sing a lovely AOII song. They presented me with an envelope and a rose and asked me to be a part of Alpha Omicron Pi. I was honoured and delighted to accept my bid. “ It was in this moment that Sabah felt she was being welcomed in the “family” and since that day her passion for the organization has only grown. Since joining, she has been delighted to be able to share her passion for philanthropy and leadership, with not only the girls in her chapter, but with sisters from all over the world. Since becoming President of the chapter, Sabah had the opportunity to meet many international sisters. This term, she attended an International Conference,

“ Being around women who share the same values as you, who want to support your endeavours and enjoy your company, feels amazing. No matter where you are, your sisters will be there for you”

Being President has been a blessing to Sabah, and has allowed her to grow her leadership. She’s stronger for it, and because of it. It has it’s up’s and downs, and she admits that it can be challenging, she leads with elegance, Naturally a person fond of reflecting, Sabah is very honest about her role, she knows that not everything she does would be well received, but she knows that no matter what, her sisters will be there to support her in the end. She has felt the love of her sisters in this role, and she is aglow when speaking about her love for them in return, “It is the most rewarding feeling in the world to have the opportunity to support the growth of your sorority. I learn from my sisters every day and I am so proud to be the president of such an amazing organization.”

Being President, perhaps Sabah is the most qualified to dispel the myth of sorority girls. You best not fall into the trap of thinking they’re anything like the movies; full of the same slender girls year in and year out, based on superficial values, only in it for the status and frat boys. Sabah explains that they are so much more diverse than their hollywood counterparts, “Ladies in sororities have varying interests and share common values. This may mean that some sisters stay in the library every night studying and others seem to enjoy social gatherings. The beauty of being in a sorority is being able to enjoy the diversity among your sisters.” The movies it seems also missed out on a huge aspect of sorority life: philanthropy and volunteer work is a staple of the sorority life.  AOII partners with the Arthritis foundation and the Waterloo Chapter is no different than it’s overhead. The girls participate in multiple events in the community and on-campus such as: Walk to Fight Arthritis, Pie Out Arthritis, Feds Trick or Eat, Teddies for Toddlers, UW Open House Volunteers, Get Real, Relay for Life, Teddies for Warriors.

Sabah explains, “We have many sisters who are involved in extracurriculars and are exemplary leaders on campus. Ladies in Alpha Omicron Pi are wonderful leaders and great friends, we all try to make our mark together.”

So there you have it. The girls behind the legend, a sorority girl, unmasked. While we are told time and time again not to believe what the media says about a person, or group of people, yet sometimes we still fall into that trap. In this day and age where judgment can flow from someone’s thoughts into their tweets, that can haunt a person for days, weeks and so on. We need to be more careful than ever to hold a critical lense on what we’re presented, a skill that higher education is supposed to give us and one we need to remember to use. She’s in your chemistry class, she’s a software engineer, she’s your waitress, she’s the girl up all night in the library, she’s out at phil’s, she knits, she’s loyal, she’s kind, she can be whatever she wants and she’s one hell of a leader. This woman, she’s a sorority girl.

• pi
• sorority