And you know what, OMGBekah is not only hilarious, but she is spot-on! She hits the nail on the head, and I crack up every time I view this. Why do I find it so incredibly funny? Because I can relate - I can proudly admit that I am a sorority girl. And yes, I am using the present tense, because although I graduated, I don't think you can ever fully get rid of the "sorority girl" persona that has taken over your personality during the 4-year college period.
Beyond the like, totally, super, awesome, fetch so-rawr-ity sisterhood, clothes sharing, and buying of friends with daddy's money, there is a real benefit to the Greek community. I would even argue that OMGBekah missed one crucial aspect about sororities.
Reason #1: It helps you find a job
No really, it does.
In my sorority alone, there are over 150 collegiate campuses with more than 200,000 members - just think about the networking potential! Even if an employer wasn't in your sorority per se, when you go for a job interview and if they were in a Greek organization, there is almost always a sense of camaraderie.
When you look even further, there are some really interesting statistics:
- All but two of the US Presidents since 1825 have been Greek
- 30% of US Congressmen/women are Greek
- 42% of US Senators are Greek
- 40% of all Supreme Court Justices have been Greek
- 30% of Fortune 500 Executives are Greek
Besides the networking potential, sororities really do help prepare you for the real world. How, you might ask? As silly as it sounds, the answer lies in: Sorority Rush.
For those who might not know, sorority recruitment is that oh-so-fun time of year when you bring new girls into your chapter. It is like extreme speed-dating, on crack. Through a series of mini-parties, you meet and greet hundreds of girls, all of whom have the potential to join your sorority and become new sisters. Through the course of these parties, you are determining if the girls would be a good fit to become new sisters. At the same time, the girls are mutually judging to see if they themselves want to join your particular sorority.
I'll let you in on a little secret: the ultimate goal is to make every girl love your chapter and want to join. That way, you can pick the cream of the crop, and get exactly who you want. This is easier said than done.
To reach this goal, there is a lot of preparation. Every sister who talks to these potential new girls acts almost as a "brand ambassador." You are the face of your chapter and represent your entire sorority. So, you must be able to, in a way, sell yourself. How does one prepare? That's a secret I can't share, but I can tell you this: I have four years of training and experience to talk to anyone, about anything, for an indefinite amount of time. All the while, subtly selling myself.
Honestly, this is just like job searching. I know it must sound terribly manipulative, but it is no different from preparing yourself for a job interview!
A job interview isn't an interrogation, it is a conversation. Every conversation is different, and you need to prepare accordingly. In addition, an interview is almost always with a stranger - a stranger who represents a company, who needs to convince you that the potential job is a great fit. Like sorority recruitment, you are trying to determine whether you want to join this organization. At the same time, you also need to convince the interviewer that you are the best choice for the job - You sell yourself.
So scoff all you want at sorority girls. There are certainly valid reasons for poking fun! But do not be so quick to judge, it has definitely provided me with great life skills.
Love and Snaps!
BB
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