Greek Life Across the Globe

The summer after freshman year, I traveled to Hawaii with one of my best friends from my hometown. Not old enough to rent a car, we took a lyft to a famous blowhole trail. We hiked until we reached the waterspout. Encapsulated by the whirlwind of water and a heart shaped rock, someone startled me when she tapped my shoulder. With my look of confusion, she pointed to my shirt and asked if I went to school at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). I realized I was wearing a Delta Gamma UCSB tank top that had been passed down to me from 2014. Turns out, she was also in my sorority. We had just missed each other since she graduated the year before I became a freshman. We started bonding over Delta Gamma and the connections we had. In that moment, I experienced the sentiment that older people in Greek life had shared—being a part of an organization that’s bigger than oneself, is a life tie.

Wherever I go, I know that I can always find a sorority member nearby. Even if not in Delta Gamma, but another Greek affiliation, I still feel connected to them in a special way. My former supervisor, an Alpha Phi alumna, is a person I will always look up to and strive to be like in many ways. She is well-connected across the globe to successful sorority women and fraternity men. I wouldn’t doubt that she knows over 1,000 Greek students and alumni and would be willing to provide support in any way she can to them. She was a founder of GreekFest, an event at UCSB during alumni weekend, for the sole purpose of reconnecting Greek alumni. At this event, anyone from the ages 25-80 are engaging with each other, making new connections, dancing, and just enjoying themselves. She also is a major component of another event that professionally connects Greek people. Students learn career building tips and networking skills directly from alumni. My supervisor has illustrated that there are not only social benefits to being in a sorority or fraternity, but many professional ones too. Working these events and developing a friendship with my supervisor reinforced the idea that Greek life extends long beyond the college days.

One of my sorority sisters and I at Big Bear Mountain.

I have connected with people in Hawaii, Santa Barbara, and unexpectedly when I traveled abroad to Madrid, Spain, where Greek life is nonexistent or even mocked. I met and became friends with over 10 people from Greek organizations across 4 different colleges. I attribute these connections at least in part to being in a sorority. It offers a conversation starter and a common interest. There is mutual agreement that Greek life adds so much value to one’s life. It provides us with the commonality of the opportunity to give back through philanthropic actions, creating lifelong friendships, and gaining leadership and other fundamental skills.

An Alpha Chi Omega friend from UC Davis that I meant while studying abroad and myself.

As I begin my career search, I’m thankful for the experiences I’ve had with Greek life, enabling me to discuss my leadership position, my internship with my inspirational boss, and even the power to answer the common “tell me about yourself” question in a future interview. I think some characteristics are universal among sorority and fraternity members: strong communication skills, growth, and loyalty. The support system of a sorority is huge. On a daily basis, other members are giving out compliments and lifting you up. The growth I have seen from freshman year in both myself and my sorority friends is huge. Unquestionably I have gained confidence in myself and who I am. I’ve seen it in others too. During the first week of being a member, there were new members who were on the more timid side. Now I could not name a single member in my member class who lacks self-assurance.

I also have a theory that Greek life contributes to a happier life. Through my close relationship psychology course, I learned that having solid and concrete friendships is proven to increase overall life satisfaction. Surprisingly, even relationships with minimal intimacy and less constant interaction (such as a brief conversation with a neighbor, barista, or stranger) also demonstrate this effect of a greater overall well-being. Being in a sorority or fraternity guarantees connections, both big and small anywhere in the world. Therefore, I’m concluding that being in Greek Life has a major possibility of increasing overall life satisfaction, if you take advantage of all it has to offer. With that, I leave you with one small, silly piece of advice: it might help to wear your letters in public!

Xx, Julia Rietman

Delta Gamma

University of California, Santa Barbara