My Personal Growth Essay

Graduating from high school and attending a university is a daunting experience for thousands of people, especially if they know no one at their university, like me. I was the only one out of my close-knit group of friends that decided to attend my particular school, having always belonged to a group and seeing friends everyday, I was disheartened my first week at school; I was alone. I knew I wouldn’t be able to endure the loneliness for a whole year, so I made the decision to join a sorority. Becoming a member of a sorority has helped me grow into the person I am now; I have learned new ideas and enjoyed many new experiences, what I always thought college should be about. Joining a Greek organization was the best way for me to have what I missed from high school in college.

Becoming a part of a sorority isn’t just about your “house”, you have interactions with every other sorority and fraternity on your campus; you meet all types of new people from different backgrounds. I admit, I had always thought of myself as a pretty cultured person, but after I met so many people that had views on life that differed far from mine, I knew there was still a lot I was ignorant about. I made the decision to learn as much as I could from other people, the good and the bad. Since then some of my views on society and life have been changed; some of my views have been reaffirmed, but I am still learning and growing, and it’s not only the ideas and views of other people that have had an affect on me, but also the things I have experienced while being in a sorority.

I have to confess, even though I now praise Greek life, I went into the sorority thinking about all the negative stereotypes that accompany them—parties, drinking, sex—and found out that, yes, some of the stereotypes are true, though not to the extent they are portrayed in the media, but sororities offer a lot to help you grow into an adult. Because of the sorority, I became part of Up ‘till Dawn, a club on my campus that helps raise money for St. Jude’s , I had never been part of the staff that had to put together an event. After the event, my leadership skills had grown in leaps and bounds. Through various philanthropy and other Greek events I have learned to work on a team with different types of people and to network, all which help me in my career. The ideas that have been exposed to me and the experiences I have encountered have all been part of my idea of the college experience.

I knew that when I started to attend college, I wanted more out of it than just academics. I have always viewed it as a new frontier from which I would emerge irrevocably changed, and ready to live my life, and start my career. Having fun is a part of that for me, and my sorority has, and still is, providing the events I enjoy so much. Parties, for me, aren’t just a time to be a social butterfly; it’s a time for me to bond with my sisters and friends in fraternities. Contrary to popular belief, Greeks are not academically challenged, in fact, we are the leaders of tomorrow, and attending social events are a way for us to take a much needed break, among friends and “family”, which many other college students never experience. I would not change my decision to join my sorority if I had the chance to do it again, because it has had such a big affect on me

Before joining my sorority, I was just an intimidated freshman looking for friends and a place to belong; now I have all that I wanted and more. I am a different person than I was in high school, with new skills, ideas, and experiences supporting me, I owe it to my decision to join a sorority. I know that I will continue to grow under the tutelage and support of my sisters. Greek life is the perfect opportunity for students who find themselves in a situation similar to mine. Sororities and fraternities can give that sense of friendship that many lose when they go to college, it can provide many avenues to become a leader, and it changes lives; Greek life provides a college experience that many students look forward to before entering college, while helping them stay on track, academically. I recommend Greek life to college student across the nation.