I didn’t go to Brown to go Greek. To be honest, I went to Brown to avoid going Greek. The pink tank tops, the pools of estrogen, and the endless hours of girl flirting never quite fit my picture of the ideal college experience.
The school year began with a Facebook newsfeed plastered with smiling girls making an array of hand gestures, sporting flowery headbands and Greek letters. It was fun to see who was a DG or a Theta or a Tri-delt or a whatever—but to be honest, I didn’t really care. Everyone seemed convinced they loved their big who they met ten seconds before and everyone seemed to think “grand-big” was a real word. Which it wasn’t.
And yet, here I am. I have a big and I love her. I even have a grand-big, and of course, I love her. After all my cynicism and bashing of the Greek world—I am a part of it. And, I love it. Being a sorority girl is everything and nothing like I thought it would be. Yes, we squat. Yes, we mix. And yes, we all love our bigs.
I love being a sorority girl. No matter how hard I fought against it, I finally succumbed to the floral headbands and shrill giggles. I rushed, I pref-ed, and I accepted my bid and now—I can never go back. Nor would I want to. Yes, the rituals, the rules, the meetings, and the traditions confuse me, but the sense of community also inspires me. Never before have I been brought together with 60 plus girls by nothing more than two Greek letters. For me, being in a sorority is not about the parties, the reputation, or connections. It’s about watching Amy Schumer while painting our nails at midnight on a Thursday night and crying when the KD fish dies during chapter meetings.
May he rest in peace.
I didn’t go to Brown to go Greek, and yet I did. To be honest, I went Greek because I’m at Brown. Brown is a place where individuals thrive, where misfits fit in, where pariahs find a home. The campus is spotted with blue haired girls, barefooted boys, and people doing their utmost to be unique. Brown expects me to stand out. Brown expects me to be different. Brown expects me to not join a sorority. And so I did.