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I Ranked My School’s Bottom Tier Sorority First

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At my school, and probably many others, there’s apparently a “leftover sorority,” and I’m an active member of it. In fact, I’m a leader of the leftovers, as part of the executive board. Who knew the letters I am justly proud of were something to be ashamed of?

Oh wait. They aren’t.

I am not a leftover. I chose my sorority, and they chose me back. Don’t get me wrong; I had my moments of indecision while going through recruitment, just like pretty much every other girl out there. But I chose to be here. I did not want to be a part of a different sisterhood, or I would have chosen it. I will never reminisce on what it may have been like as a part of a different organization, because I could never see myself happy in another one. I ranked my sorority, my home, first because I felt like it was where I belonged. Not because I was a leftover, or because they were leftovers, but because they treated me like a person instead of a number. They treated me like a sister before I ever was one. And yet, other sororities treated me and continue to treat me like an outsider who will never amount to their idea of what a sister should be. I didn’t want to be part of that.

And guess what? I don’t care. I’m proud to wear my letters, just like I’m sure girls in other sororities are proud to wear theirs. We’re no different from each other, other than the fact that they see being a part of my sisterhood as something to be ashamed of, while I believe it’s something to celebrate.

My sisters who ran home to me on Bid Day this year are not leftovers. They were not unwanted just because other chapters didn’t want them in their organization. They were wanted by us and were not a consequence of another chapter’s inability to see what is special about them. They were a deliberate choice and we welcomed them home to us with open arms. They are beautiful women whom we are blessed to have in our sisterhood.

My sorority may not be the most popular girls on campus. We may not have the cutest table for orientation, or the most t-shirts in our closets. We may not have the most money in our bank account. We may not all look perfect all the time. But there is one thing we have that I believe nobody can ever touch: a strong sisterhood…and a desire to prove you wrong. We are genuine, we are kind, and above all, we are a united front. That is infinitely more important to me than any of the other things typically associated with higher ranking sororities.

Other sororities are not better than us because their letters are different than ours. They are not better than me because my sisters didn’t fit your ideal of sisterhood. They fit our ideal of sisterhood, and that shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. They are not better than me because their numbers are higher. A number doesn’t define us, or anyone for that matter.

Remember that I, had I chosen differently, could have been your sister. I could have been your little. I could have been an active member of your organization. But I chose to decline in favor of something I saw as being a sisterhood that I could identify with. I was not cast aside by you. I was picked up deliberately by my sisters.

And I would never have it any other way.

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