Changing
Perspectives
Kristen Buhrmann
Kristen Buhrmann
Going into college, I had no intentions of joining a sorority. It was nothing my parents ever asked me about – none of my family was Greek – and I didn’t think it would be a good fit for me. Then again, my only information about Greek life was what I saw in movies and television shows, both of which are not real life representations of being Greek. My understanding of being in a sorority involved paying for friends, binge drinking at fraternity houses, looking like Barbie and acting like Regina George. My understanding was FAR from reality.
During Welcome Week, I met multiple Greek women – all very sweet and polite, but none selling me about Greek life. I was still stuck on my pre-conceived notions of Greek life.
Then some of my good friends joined sororities. Although they didn’t talk about it all the time, it was now an important part of their lives, and they enjoyed talking about their new sisters and fun things they were involved with. I saw pictures of my friends having fun with their new sisters – having mixers with fraternity men, participating in philanthropies, and having movie nights with sisters. Oddly enough, I became jealous of all the fun they were having.
About a month later, my friend Ashley, a member of Phi Mu, invited me out to dinner with another sister. They talked about getting big sisters, and the philanthropy they donated to, and meeting all types of people through their sorority. I started asking questions, and I became interested.
Over the next couple weeks, I met more and more Phi Mus. The more and more sisters I met, the more I wanted to join. Lucky for me, they were participating in Continuous Open Bidding, and hosting fun events to attract potential members. I was unable to attend these events, but I attended a meeting. I enjoyed myself at the meeting – a feat most people laugh at (how many people do you know that have fun at meetings!). After a couple days of hanging out with their sisters, I was offered a bid to join Phi Mu.
I’ve never looked back from that point on, and I’ve never regretted my choice. Joining Phi Mu has significantly changed my life; I’ve become more outgoing, proactive, and have developed into a strong leader. Even though I joined through Continuous Open Bidding instead of Formal Recruitment, I love my sorority and my sisters with all my heart and I couldn’t imagine my college experience without Phi Mu and all the opportunities my sorority has given me.
Greek life is NOT about paying for friends, or binge drinking, or looking or acting fake. Greek life is about brotherhood and sisterhood, sharing an unbreakable bond, and learning to become a better man or woman than you were the day before. Greek life is not about being better than everyone else, but bettering yourself and becoming the best person you can possibly be.
