I (heart) Greek Life ... Really I do.

I love Greek Life. I really, really do... I love my chapter, my international organization; I love Panhellenic (ask my Panhellenic sisters how I feel about our Wednesday night meetings!!) and I love being a member of the Greek Community.

Today at work someone was asking me about school - "Yes, I'm only home for the summer..." it was a completely normal conversation, and one that I have almost daily the first couple weeks back. "How was your year? ..." anyone with a summer job knows the exact conversation I'm talking about - you have it with friends and older co-workers summer after summer.

In addition to the "what classes did you take?" type questions, we started talking about my boyfriend and where he goes to school - "that's so far away" - this is the response I'm used to hearing, so the response I'm used to giving is: "It's okay though because we're both so busy, he plays sports and I'm president of my sorority so we are both always up to something."

To me, staking my claim as a member of a sorority is a perfectly respectable account of a busy schedule: philanthropy events, meetings, chapter, the list goes on and on.... and yet today - this person's negative Greek experiences had rained all over my usual "I <3 Greek Life" attitude.

By busy schedule they thought I was referring to my partying and drinking.....

Sometimes I get so frustrated! I know that our Greek community at the Q is very different than most, but my experience has been a wonderful one and has truly shaped my life. Sometimes I can't decide what is worse - the stereotypes about Greek life or the activities and events Greeks participate in to make those stereotypes true.

I consider myself one of the biggest advocates for the Greek system - the Greek leadership model is something truly incredible! But, at the same time that I'm defending my affiliation to the world's end, I'm also one of the biggest critics. I love my Ritual and I am so proud to be a part of it, when Greeks don't live their lives (and that means all the time.... character is what you do when no one is looking!!), by their Rituals, they further perpetuate the bad and all too easily detriment the good!

I feel like most Greeks spend so much time defending themselves and not enough time acting in ways to make outsiders change their minds - there is also always talk about why our behavior should be different or better or one way over another. The answer is simple....Greek Life, I love you but I have to say:

We took an oath that others didn't. We made promises that other college students did not make, and we did it all by choice. It was our choice to be a part of these social organizations, to strive for social excellence, and when we don't we make a lie out of our Ritual.

Learn it. Live it. Love it.

<3 Love and Loyally