Friendship, community, and sisterhood. These are all words many of us have heard before but to some, they have more meaning. We see all these traits in college sororities. Friendships that last a lifetime are built. Some girls meet their future bridesmaids. It pushes students to join their community and make personal and professional relationships. Ultimately friendship allows for sisterhood, having a group of girls you know will always be there for you. From then on someone will always have your back. Being in a sorority may seem off-putting but to many aspiring young women, it’s their lifestyle.

Many people have different beliefs about sororities. Some think they are for “dumb mean girls who drink all day and dress provocatively,” said Sigma Delta Tau President Emily Bauer.

These commonly heard stereotypes can prevent people from wanting to join a sorority or hurt the reputations of those involved. As a member of Delta Gamma Phi, I have been told that sororities are for “rich white girls,” another common stereotype seen within the Greek life community. The stereotype can make people feel degraded being a part of this group when they are constantly treated like they are less than for being in a sorority. Negative treatment like this can push people away from joining, they think they do not fit into the mold of who a sorority girl is.

Another harmful stereotype that has held these women back is paying for friends. Since dues and payments are involved, lines can easily be blurred. “really did bother me because it’s hard to explain that it’s so much more than that,” said Mia Grossman, Vice President of Scholarship in Sigma Delta Tau. To someone who is not a part of this community, it is hard to explain that you are paying for the experience but the friends you make will last a lifetime. These people would support you whether you could pay or not.

As we see at WestConn, sororities have a wide outreach. There are four sororities on campus, two national and two local. The local sororities are Delta Gamma Phi and Kappa Chi Alpha. Being local means they are only found at West Conn. The national sororities are Sigma Delta Tau and Alpha Delta Pi.These groups can be found at many different schools. All of these sororities stand for different things and support different philanthropies but at the end of the day they are a sisterhood. Anyone can go through the recruitment process with an equal chance of joining. There are also scholarships for those who can’t afford to pay dues. Some sororities struggle to get people to want to go through this process because of the stereotypes. “I didn’t want people to loop me in with that stereotype because that’s not who I am,”said Kayla Morais, President of Delta Gamma Phi.

Many people feel this way, they are put off from joining because they don’t want to be labeled. This label is what many of the girls in this community are currently fighting. It is hard to stand against a stereotype when it constantly puts you down. The public perception can even impact funding because at some schools it is not seen as equal to other clubs. In Greek life at West Conn, we see powerful women, not dumb, blonde, rich, mean girls, who exclude others and thrive on bringing them down.

These women do not let the stereotypes hold them back, they use them to push forward and show that they are not what others perceive them to be. Bauer states, “it’s always amazing to break those barriers and show who we really are!” Stereotypes can be motivating to some. For these women, they are what push them to show that they are a family and will not be placed in a box. The feedback from others allows them to shine a light on who they really are and how sororities are important in today’s society. Jenny Close from Alpha Delta Pi pushed back by “representing the high values that Greek life is at WCSU.” Greek life is a community and a business and should be treated that way. Grossman states “All of the leadership opportunities have helped me become a more confident and balanced person.” We see students become leaders through Greek life. Being a part of this lifestyle allows everyone to have a chance at gaining those skills and making friends along the way. It represents the values of community, friendship, trust, and hard work.

Overall, Greek life is an important part of many people’s lives. Bonds are built that will last a lifetime and the skills obtained that will aid you in the professional world are unmatched. Sororities help build a community and are important to everyone involved. This community-building opportunity has allowed young women to gain the leadership skills they need to succeed in a business setting. They have given support to those looking to build a brighter future. Some get a purpose, something to do on campus other than attend class. Others get the experience they need to enter the professional world. Everyone involved can get a new sense of sisterhood and community that will change the way they look at friendship forever.