To be honest, Greek life was never on my radar when I was applying to colleges. My cousin was in a sorority, but besides that, I had no connection to Greek life nor any desire to join. I used to even poke fun at sororities and believed every generalization made about sorority girls. In my eyes, sorority girls wore dresses and pearls, loved shopping, and never wore sweatpants. None of these are bad, but they definitely aren’t me.
Fast forward to the end of my first semester freshman year. I was on the fence about participating in recruitment. My roommate had been looking forward to signing up since September, but I almost backed out. I didn’t want to be someone I wasn’t. I didn’t want my friends at home to say I’d changed because I joined a sorority. The night before the deadline for signing up, my friend on the club lacrosse team, who is not in a sorority, convinced me to try recruitment. She said even though she personally didn’t like it, there was no harm in trying it out.
I still think about how thankful I am for her advice. I ended up going through recruitment and joining a house that was filled with amazing women from all walks of life. I’ve met some of my best friends through my sorority. They’re people who I can laugh with, people I can talk to, and people who inspire me to be my best self. It’s like being in seven different clubs, while only actually being in one. I love sports, I love volunteering, and I care about my grades. And these are all passions I have been able to pursue and enjoy while being in a sorority.
On weekends I participate in fun philanthropy events with my friends—everything from pancake eating contests to dodgeball tournaments, all while knowing the profits are going to a good cause, as each sorority and fraternity are involved with a specific charitable organization. On Halloween, my friends and I handed out candy to local youth students in the Boys and Girls Club who trick-or-treated on Walnut Avenue near campus. We have parties every weekend with hilarious themes, and I have never felt pressure to look, dress up, wear makeup, or act a certain way.
I now realize that my original perception of a “typical sorority girl” was based on looks alone. I now think a typical sorority girl is a positive way to describe any young woman who has found a home away from home in her Greek life.
Samantha Trombley ’18, is public relations and policy studies major. She is originally from Franklin, CT. Sam is a member of Hill Communications, the on-campus public relations firm. She is also a member of the Girl Code Movement, the women’s club lacrosse team, and the Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity. In her free time she enjoys hiking, volunteering, traveling, and spending time with friends. More blogs from Samantha Trombley.