My freshman year I was really intimidated by Greek life. So intimidated that I went to one night of formal recruitment and promptly decided that it was not for me.

When my sophomore year started, a friend of mine decided to go Greek. She felt like she wasn’t getting enough out of college, and I had to agree. I wanted a better community on campus, and I decided to give it a shot.

One year later, I can say that I am still a proud member of Gamma Phi Beta. Greek life is so much more than I expected and I can’t believe I waited a year to give it a chance.

The sisterhood is easily the best part. I can always rely on my sisters and I feel comfortable joking around and talking about everything with every woman in my sorority.

On the flip side, we are also able to hold each other accountable. If I start to go off course or struggle in any way, my sisters will help pick me up and put me back on track. On a rough day, it is great to know that more than 60 women on campus have my back and will always support me.

Greek life also opens the door to so many opportunities, on and off campus. 

Activities like intramurals, Greek Week, Songfest and Hippodrome offer a chance to be active and perform in a fun, goofy setting, and the friendships I have made through these events are invaluable.

Our philanthropic work has introduced me to new causes, wonderful organizations and inspirational members of the community. I have also found employment opportunities through my sisters and our alumnae.

The bond shared among members of the Greek community is irreplacable. We celebrate in the good times and support fellow Greeks in tragedy. 

While we have friendly competitions, we also support each other’s philanthropy events, play on intramural teams together and have mixers. Our friendships and competitions with other chapters give us a chance to grow as a community, and that is what makes us strong.

The decision to give Greek life a shot has been the best decision of my college career, and I hope you think about giving it a chance as well.