Representing Your Letters

If you are in a sorority, I know you have heard this sentence more than a billion times: You are always wearing your letters. It is the cheesiest thing that you are most likely sick of hearing, but nonetheless, you should take it to heart. Regardless of what sorority you decided to join, your letters are a symbol of over one hundred years of tradition and sisterhood. I know this sounds like blah blah blah, but it should be your thought process when you put on your embroidered letter shirt with the Lilly print in the morning. Everyday, you should be thinking about your sorority’s creed and why your founders created the organization that means so much to you. It is also a well known cliche that “you can’t understand it looking in, but you can’t explain it looking out”.

If you don’t understand the importance of your organization, I urge you to go to your next alumnae brunch. Your alumnae chose to remain faithful to their organization because they can see the good your philanthropy and service hours are doing, they got their first job through an alumnae, and their bridesmaid was their Big who still gets coffee weekly with them. Right now, you may not see how much your organization is affecting your college career for the better. You gain so many skills in leadership, compassion, and so much more by being held to the standard set by your organization. You may not understand why you can’t post a picture of you doing a keg stand now, but in a few years when you get a job over a girl who didn’t clean up her Facebook profile, you will thank the conservative nationals board for these bylaws. Your alumnae are more than happy to share how thankful they are for this experience, and you should listen to them.

You have to remember that everyday, you are molding the perception of Greek life and the organization you represent. This is why it is important to be kind to everyone you see in passing. You also need to remember that ratchetness is frowned upon. Dress and act like a lady. “Keep your heels, head, and standards high” -TSM. There is no need for club attire for class; you might want to try rocking an oxford shirt and pastel shorts (not trying to tell you how to live your life though...then again, I guess I kind of am). It’s not necessary to have full hair and makeup every morning. We are real people, and real people don’t go to class looking like a model. What you do in your letters says a lot more about your organization than what you look like while wearing them. Being a good person reflects on your sorority’s values and foundation whereas looking good in your letters says more about your social status (that has no meaning in college anyways).

You want to make your nationals proud regardless of how you spend weekends. Your professors and classmates are all impressionable. You need to be sure these people see Greek life in a positive light. This is how you can give back to the sorority. If you are perceived as a bitch, you might be top tier sorority (we have been over this...yes tiers exist), but you won’t get the full experience of your organization or help to associate Greek life with a positive connotation. Do it for your future greeks. Your children should be able to join a fraternity or sorority and have the same experience you had. If you are part of making Greek life look bad, you are part of getting it shut down at schools across the nation. As an active, you are the representation. It is your job to show the world what it means to be a Greek woman. Let’s make that meaning positive and save Greek life from being ridiculed and prohibited from holding events.