I am not, nor have I ever been, a “sorority girl”, but I was in a sorority. HUH? Yes, I joined a sorority in the very early 90s. Prior to my rush week experience, I had never shown the slightest interest in joining a sorority. I had never been a “joiner”, preferring to do my own thing, on my own schedule, and in my own unique way. Quite honestly, none of the sororities on my college campus remotely fit my personality, which is why I think it was fate that I rushed when I did.
I can’t speak to current day, but “in my day”, Greek organizations, both fraternities or sororities, each had their own personality. While each group was made up of individuals, those individuals usually shared many of the same traits, so, the entire organization itself would become the sum of the more dominant traits, therefore, students whose personalities fit into that equation would, naturally, be chosen to pledge. This was the late 80s and early 90s, and “The Breakfast Club” taught us that, for better or worse, we saw our peers in the simplest of terms, “brain, athlete, basket case, princess, criminal…”; fraternities and sororities experienced the same stereotyping. For example, one sorority may be considered “the easy girls”, while others were considered “the smart girls”, “the good girls”, or “the party girls”, and for fraternities it could be “the geeks”, “the bad boys”, “the hot guys” and so on.
So, why was it fate that I rushed when I did? At that time, there was a group of young women who also didn’t feel they fit the into the existing molds of the other organizations, yet still desired the spirit of community that goes hand-in-hand with sisterhood, those women found each other, unified and chose to create a new sorority. A sorority whose personality could grow with them, instead of them having to conform an established standard. A sorority that was accepting of young ladies who didn’t fit a mold, and that, perhaps, preferred those who didn’t. A sorority that wanted its sisters to feel free to be themselves, to choose if they wanted to stand out or blend in, to be a “good girl”, a “smart girl”, a “party girl”, a “princess” or any combination of the above. This group of women called their organization “Tau Alpha Lambda”, their letters being TAL standing for “Take A Look”, and, while not a member of the National Panhellenic Conference at the time, were actively researching pathways to gaining a national colony and charter. I hadn’t heard of this group prior to the event and it was not the sorority that had originally interested me, but quickly became Number 1 on my list. Not only did I find the young women who were involved in this group to be smart, funny, strong and down-to-earth, but I was also excited about the prospect of creating some change in the sorority landscape on campus.
The days leading up to receiving a bid to pledge can be nerve-wracking. There was really only one place I wanted to be, but, being a human girl, I wanted to be wanted by all.of.them. I did receive bids from 2 groups, but only one mattered: Tau Alpha Lambda! I was thrilled! I was scared! I was nervous! What happened next? What did I get myself into? Were my parents going to freak out? Late that night, I was visited by a group of established sisters and taken to meet more sisters and the other girls who had also accepted bids. It was all a little surreal, like something that happens in a movie. All of a sudden, I was surrounded by people I had never met before, complete strangers, some of whom would eventually become my closest friends, my confidants, my sisters.
Our diverse group went on to interview numerous national sororities. We researched, discussed, and voted on which to petition for colonization and chose Phi Sigma Sigma, a sorority founded in 1913 that is nationally recognized as a progressive, successful women’s philanthropic and social organization. With the help of a Phi Sigma Sigma chapter from a nearby university, the Zeta Nu chapter was officially chartered and founded, at Slippery Rock University, on November 23, 1991.
I take great pride in telling people that I am the “founding sister” of the Zetu Nu chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma, but I must thank the women who created Tau Alpha Lambda. They blazed the trail, insisted on having their organization taken seriously, found like-minded individuals to progress the initiative, and established a new sisterhood. Without their original vision and strength, the Phi Sigma Sigma chapter at Slippery Rock University would not exist.
I learned many lessons from my time as a “sorority girl”. I learned that you can march to your own drummer, dance to your own beat, and walk your own path but it’s inspiring and fulfilling to share experiences with others. I learned that your friends will forgive you for doing stupid things, if you are truly sorry. I learned that sometimes the person you have the least in common with is the one who fills a void in your life you didn’t realize existed. Most importantly, I learned that not only is it OK, but sometimes it’s preferred, that you be yourself and break the mold.
