And there they are running. Smiling, nervous, rocking a new tshirt, and running to the girls who loved them enough to invite them into their homes. This is sooo college, is all I kept thinking, as sorority girls stood in a U-shaped circle chanting away their letters, sectioned off by big posters identifying their chapter. It struck me right as those girls were running…some excitedly, some obviously nervously, that our Greek system has a beautiful way of making girls feel excited, but sadly also of making girls feel divided. Each of the women in that U-shape share somewhat similar life experiences, yet for some reason most feel that they have a reason to feel that they reign superior to any other “group of girls.” We have all joined a group where we feel welcome, happy, and comfortable – a place where we can call a home away from home. These homes should not be a place of discomfort for women who were not invited with a bid to join. Instead, women in each of these groups should stand to be role models to one another. There are inspirational girls in every single chapter, and every girl could learn something from the successes that others have achieved. Silly letters should not be the boundary against which it is impossible for girls to learn from each other. Instead Greek letters are there to demonstrate that each girl has her own particular support system, and is part of a friend group that was established merely because they are joined by some particular personality trait that maybe you or I don’t possess. But that is fine! Not every home is the right fit for everyone. BUT, for those that are welcomed, take the experiences and love you gain from your house and share it with the other girls around you. Don’t think that you are any better just because you joined a more “elite” sorority, or one that is more easily recognized at the social scene at UVA. I promise you that in 5 years that WILL NOT MATTER. What will matter is the strong bonds that you make, the women that you meet, and the ability for you to share and inspire others with that special experience your sorority had to offer.
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