When you initially take a glance at anything, the first thing you will see is what is on the surface. This happens too often when it comes to Greek life and affiliations. People tend to see only what they want to see, and believe what they have been cultured to believe. 

At our age, the media is a firsthand culprit for installing beliefs apart from reality in our brains. When you think sorority or fraternity, naturally the first things that come to your mind are the depictions of these things on television, such as Elle Woods of “Delta Nu” or the “Beta House” on American Pie, right? 

You see tall blonde women dressed head-to-toe in glitter and Lily Pulitzer, sitting around giggling and painting each other’s nails. You see guys in pastel colored shorts throwing huge house parties and acting like they do not have home-training. 

It is funny to think about how cliché these images are. Being a member of a sorority at Mississippi State University has taught me many things— one being to never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a system by its stereotype. 

Greek life helps to instill lifelong values and friendships, academic success, community involvement and incredible memories. 

There are also several underlying values that come with being a part of an organization. Firstly, you learn the true meaning of friendship. As we are all growing more into adulthood, things get harder. 

College is stressful, families are missed and becoming a “grown-up” is not exactly what you expected. Times like these are when you take a stronghold in your friends. Personally, I have met some of the most important people in my life through becoming a member of a Greek organization. 

There is a high level of camaraderie with fellow members, whether it be because of mutual values and beliefs or the mutual Greek experience in general. Either way, you are bound to create lifelong and meaningful friendships that last long after the doors have closed on your college experience.

In addition to having these new amazing friends, going Greek also may help you gain a strong academic support system. By becoming integrated with these different people of different ages and statures, you gain access to knowledge that can be very useful in college such as help or tutoring with classes in your major by other members of your affiliation.

The many learning opportunities you will be exposed to can challenge you to increase and elevate your personal and social skills. You meet tons of new people, and you are exposed to new environments, events and ideas that help to cultivate you as a person for future situations just like the ones you encounter in college. 

Most Greek chapters have a required grade point average for members to meet in order to remain active, which can help to boost academic morale and give students motivation to work harder to get the grade. There are even certain scholarships awarded specifically to people of different Greek affiliations. 

Being Greek also has a lot to do with giving back to the university and the community. Multiple community service participation opportunities are made available to you when joining an organization. Not only does each Greek affiliation have its own philanthropy that it donates money, time, and service, but most affiliations also require their members to participate in a set number of community service hours per semester or year. 

Greek affiliations also encourage involvement— on campus, in the community and in the chapter. There are many leadership roles and other roles that may not take on as crucial of duties as the leadership roles available to any member. 

In adddition to creating friendships and memories, succeeding academically and participating in community service, students are paving the way for their future. Networking is largely created through fraternal life and can be very helpful in years to come.

The way sorority and fraternity members are portrayed is very unfortunate because these men and women do such amazing things every day. From  Derby Days to just going to get smoothies or playing football with your fellow members, this is an experience that is sure to be rewarding. By becoming a member of the Greek system, you are allowing yourself to open up many new doors for the future and become part of a beautiful long-standing tradition.