By Kristen Gentry

I never thought I’d be one.

A sorority girl.

It all seemed too frou-frou, pretty pink, fake giggles and smiles over loose-wristed waves. I wasn’t a blonde. I didn’t like to squeal greetings, and I don’t do well with conformity. Nope, It wasn’t for me. I had no desire to date a frat guy either. In all the movies I had seen they were just a bunch of spoiled, self-centered jerks squealing tires in sports cars and crushing beer cans against their foreheads. Am I supposed to swoon at that? Puh-leeze!

I unleashed my anti-Greek fury on campus. I would roll my eyes at girls with their letter bags. My black boots would stomp on their chalkings. Driving past their houses made me sneer, . . until that fateful day.

A friend in one of my classes had patiently, but persistently been asking me to attend her sorority’s gatherings. I always resisted. I thought: What if being around sorority girls is like crack or Pringles and once I start, I can’t stop flipping my hair, wearing Tammy Faye make-up, or shopping at Express?

I decided to face my fears head on. After all, my friend didn’t live up to my stereotypes. I decided I would go, but I would still be me.

I wore jeans, a simple sweater, and minimal make-up. When I walked in, I was surprised to see a roomful of Cover Girl clean-faced girls smiling at me. Some were friends of mine who I had never known were Greek. They were genuine and made me feel comfortable enough to funky up my breath with Doritos and still laugh. That night I had a revelation, and I’ve been changed.

I found out what being Greek is really all about. It’s not about thinking you’re better than everyone else. It’s not about exclusion, discrimination, being cute, or driving a tight car. It’s about helping out and doing things for the community. It’s about working to unify campus and make this university a better place to study and grow. It’s about being the best scholar you can be and having extra backbones when you want to cry because you have four tests and three papers, all due in the same week. It’s about getting the most out of your college experience, and, yes, that does mean parties, but it also means hard work. It’s about meetings you never thought would end, and sister/brotherhood that never will. It’s about wearing your letters, (wearing, not flaunting), and being proud of your founders and yourself, because you’re carrying on their legacy. It’s about screaming until your throat hurts when your sister makes you proud. It’s about a hard high five when your brother kicks butt at intramurals. It’s about a shoulder to cry on in sad times and a hand to hold up high in triumphant times.It’s about finding friends that will be there for you when you get married, land that sweet office job, or have a baby. It’s about being comfortable. It’s about being loud. It’s about sympathy, understanding, and love. It’s about late night food runs and dancing until you sweat. It’s about finding your place, your brothers and sisters, and most importantly, yourself.

So never say never, because now I’m one. I never thought I would be, but I am. I’m a jeaned-leg, cornrow-wearing, busted Buick Century driving, thrift store loving, letter sportin’ Greek.

And I’m proud of it.

Kristen Gentry is a senior communications major and the Assistant Focus Editor of The Louisville Cardinal.