Why I think sororities are empowering for women

It's Monday night, and I have a to-do list as tall as I am. Despite the laundry list of things to do, I can't help but reminisce on one of my favorite college memories - sorority bid day. Bid day is when the thousands of girls going through recruitment are presented with their "bid" to join your chapter. It's a day that now represents to me the silliness you get in college that is harder to find in adult life. Even more, it lets me beam with pride of how well the chapter that I started and my sisters are continuing is doing.

That's not the reason for this post though. I stopped my half hearted "working," put away my phone where I was "lurking" on social media, and ran to my computer. The reason I am writing is because of how overwhelming inspired I was by what I saw in my sisters. What I saw is Gamma Phi Beta inspiring them to be the best versions of themselves - young women that are thriving in their own skin. 

Greek life gets a bad rep. While I won't dispute some of the claims made against Greek life, I will argue that the other side of the story is rarely told. That being said, this isn't a post about the good side versus the bad side of Greek life. They both exist. 'Nuff said. I want to talk about how sororities empower women. 

Let me paint you the visual I saw on my social media feed just now. A sorority house was filled to capacity with 200 women celebrating one another without a care in the world. Everyone was decked out in the theme "Cirque de Gamma Phi," but each girl had her own individual twist. One sister I can think of HATES pink, so she dressed like a mime. At the same time, other sisters were wearing bows as big as their heads covered in glitter. They were dancing like no one was watching and exhibiting some of the most genuine joyfulness I've ever seen. I know, because I experienced this myself in person only last year. 

While the early 00s hip hop throw back tunes were blasting, I saw women being shamelessly themselves. The new members looking around wide eyed and excited, the prospect of over 100 women this excited about their presence being somewhat baffling. It is a crazy concept, that your entering of an organization would deserve such fanfare, but it is one of the most fulfilling experiences that you could ever ask for in the entire world. 

I can't speak for every Greek organization in the world, but I can speak for the experience I had in my chapter. Today's bid day reminded me of how sororities (the Beta Xi chapter of Gamma Phi Beta specifically for me) can empower women in a remarkable way. To be celebrated for your unique values provides a type of empowerment that I truly do not believe can be found anywhere else. If almost 200 other women believe in you, then how on earth could you not believe in yourself?