I am the News Editor of the Scout, the president of the Society of Professional Journalists and came to college with two internships under my belt. My favorite color is black and there are few things in this world that make me happier than a cup of black tea and a Jane Austen novel.
Based off the description, how would you classify me: an over achiever, a nerd or perhaps a hipster? All fine guesses, but wrong.
Here is another hint. Every Tuesday I dress up in block letters or my finest business attire, sit through meetings about powder-puff football and philanthropy events and pledge myself to a standard of being a real, strong woman.
That’s right. I am a finger-snapping, bow-wearing, cheer-loving sorority girl, and I would not have it any other way.
The greek community has come under fire even more this year than in the past.
I remember sitting in class last year when an all-too-cocky boy asked me if I put my sorority on my résumé. When the answer was “yes,” he smirked and asked why.
At first I didn’t comprehend the question and thought he was joking, but as his judgment grew, so did my understanding.
If you’re a sorority woman you are seen as a ditz, and if you are a fraternity man you are seen as a jerk.
Unlike Elle Woods of “Legally Blonde,” I do not take classes on the history of polka dots or obsess over men so badly that I follow them to school. And unlike “House Bunny,” I do not wear daisy dukes or bikini tops everyday.
The truth is, my sorority taught me how to run for leadership positions, and our formal recruitment process showed me how to connect with people from all walks of life.
The point of this is not to degrade one side or the other, but to show readers that just because I wear stitched letters does not mean I am imprudent or unintelligent. I was just fortunate to find something that I feel so passionate about, a community that welcomed me with open arms.
That we may wear letters on our shirts and sing cheers does not mean we are majoring in the history of polka dots. The letters mean we found a home away from home and a never-ending learning experience. And I hope every Bradley student will embrace the opportunity to join an organization or find a group of friends that provides them with the same.
