Debunking the Sorority Stereotype

by Caitlynn Lessard

“Oh, you’re a sorority girl?”

Yes. And let me tell you about the personal and professional development I have experienced in my past enlightening 2 years of membership. When I was a first-year student at the University of New Hampshire, joining a sorority was the last thing on my mind. As an out-of-state student, I came onto this campus with no familiar faces, and it was daunting, to say the least. Making friends with the end-of-COVID restrictions seemed impossible. One afternoon, I was walking through the Student Union building and passed a flyer for primary sorority recruitment. Without any knowledge of what this experience would entail, my drive to become involved on campus and find a sense of belonging led me to scan the QR code and sign up within two minutes. I quickly learned that sororities were much more than dressing up for fun events and Greek letters on a t-shirt; they are full of capable women who rise to challenges, encourage others, and strive to be the best versions of themselves.

For some context, the groups of sorority women on campuses are called chapters. They are sub-groups of larger national organizations each identifying with a set of Greek letters. For my sorority, there are 168 collegiate chapters across the nation. Each fall, students who want to join a chapter on campus sign up to go through a process called “recruitment”— a series of interviews with current members of each chapter.

My experience going through the recruitment process was intimidating to say the least. I entirely took on the “fake it ‘til you make it” persona and hoped for the best. Personally, my biggest goal in my conversations was to make sure the members of each chapter saw my most authentic self. At times, this was slightly challenging since I was talking to complete strangers. Each chapter has a philanthropy that they plan events to raise money for and a specific set of primary values. Throughout recruitment, I did some self-analysis to determine which chapter most closely aligned with my personal values. At the end of the process, there was one chapter that I believed was the best fit for me, and they did too. When I received my “bid” (an invitation to membership in a specific chapter), I was through the moon. In going through the new member process, I looked up to the women who were in executive positions. They created such a welcoming environment; it made me excited to begin this new part of my college experience.

“They’re just naturally extraverted”, I thought to myself at every chapter meeting and event. These women exuded such seemingly natural confidence that it was truly inspiring to my first-year self. After a few months as an initiated member, I joined the social media committee and made philanthropy event graphics on Canva for the sorority’s Instagram account. Although it was a minor role, I felt a strong sense of importance in my position from the support of the older members. During this first year, I would feel myself becoming more comfortable in the chapter. I was branching out and meeting new people, always lending a hand during events, and constantly wanting to go the extra mile. I quickly created a strong support system that, to this day, is consistently encouraging me to reach my full potential. ?In the fall of my sophomore year at UNH, with their reassurance, I decided to run for my chapter’s governing council.

This decision was so daunting. I felt that I was in over my head and was filled with doubts about my abilities. Even though I had been in leadership positions already in my chapter and other organizations on campus, I was still convincing myself that I was in no position to even run for an executive position. This, I would later learn, is called “imposter syndrome”. As women today, we are conditioned to believe that we are not capable of being in positions of leadership if we do not check all the boxes. It is a universal experience to second guess our abilities and doubt our potential for growth. Still, with the burden of imposter syndrome running rampant in my mind, I mustered up the courage to run for Vice President of Finance. It was last November that I was elected to this executive position.

To the surprise of many, my responsibilities include managing the chapter’s current budget, fulfilling reimbursements, billing members for dues and fines, and drafting a budget for the next fiscal year. Since I am a student at Paul College, I was exposed to financial terminology and basic topics of financial management in my classes. Although I didn’t entirely know the minute details of what being the Vice President of Finance in my chapter entailed, having this background made me feel more comfortable jumping into such a meticulous role. This experience has given me the opportunity to discover how to be an effective leader and develop my personal leadership style in the past year.

A sorority’s council is very collaborative. We rely on communication with each other to be successful as a unit. Through being on the other end of the recruitment process the past two fall semesters and from initiating conversations with members in my chapter, I am now able to start conversations with essentially anyone. I would say that being able to easily converse with others has been the most beneficial skill I’ve learned while being in a sorority, and has helped me in the classroom, in interviews, and in casual social situations. Communication is a quality that I closely associate with my leadership style. I believe that without communication, there can be no success on a team of any sort.

Now, in my third year as a part of my sorority, I can say with conviction that the stereotype of the typical “sorority girl” is entirely false. The women in my chapter have pushed me to be the best possible version of myself and embrace what makes us each beautifully unique. I would not be nearly as confident in my capabilities, voice, or ability in leadership if it weren’t for their support. In my executive council position, I have learned so much in terms of budgeting and the inner workings of such a large national organization. The sense of belonging and sisterhood from a sorority is something that is indescribable. My interpersonal and professional skills gained from this experience are irreplaceable. I want more people to be aware of the falsehood of the “sorority girl” stereotype. I am so proud of the person that I am today, and I owe a large portion of that to my involvement and connections that I have made in my chapter on campus.

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