Final Draft

Breaking Out Of The Bubble

It was Saturday June 4^th , 2011. I had just graduated from Olentangy Liberty High school. As my family and friends began to hug and congratulate me I began to become upset. I should have been happy I had been waiting to finish grade school and go to college for the past twelve years. If I had reached this milestone, why were there tears falling from my eyes? Was it that I was upset about leaving all of my friends that I had grown up since kindergarten with? Was it that I was nervous of leaving the only town I’ve ever known? Or, was it that I was simply terrified of how my life was going to change once I left the comfort zone of the “Powell Bubble?”

The summer after my graduation began to fly by quickly. One by one my friends began to pack up all of their belongs and leave for the next step in their lives. Many of my friends are college athletes, therefore they had to leave for school in late June or early July. This left me having to say goodbye to all of my closets friends while I was still stuck in the “Powell Bubble,” especially since Ohio University was on quarters and would not start school until September. Now, one may ask what the “Powell Bubble” is. Basically, it is socially constructed term that describes the community of Powell, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, that I grew up in. Powell is a relatively new community that is rapidly growing every year. Powell, Ohio lacks diversity with only 11% of the student population being non-white. The socio-economic status is made up of families from the upper-middle class. It is not uncommon to see brand new high-class cars in the student parking lot at the high school, and students wearing designer clothing. Needless to say, I grew up in an unrealistic society.

As it became time for me to leave the “Powell Bubble” and move in to my dorm at Ohio University, I became more and more uneasy. What if my roommate and I don’t get along? Am I going to find friends as good as my friends from home? What if I don’t like my major? These questions and many more ran through my head as move in day approached. When the day finally did come, my parents and I headed down to Athens, Ohio with two car loads filled of stuff that I would soon find out would not all fit in my tiny dorm room. After I unpacked all of my belongings and was settled in the tears from my mom’s face and mine began to fall. I had waited for this day my entire life, why was I so upset?

The first few weeks of school were almost like a movie to me. My college experience had so far consisted of partying, drinking, and barely sleeping. I had been immersed into a entirely new culture that I was never exposed to while living in the “Powell Bubble.” I soon began to forget about the life I was so upset about leaving behind, including my long-term high school boyfriend. He was attending a different school and was experiencing a different college experience than I was. Our differences and distance quickly became between us and ended up causing our relationship to fall apart. At the time I wasn’t phased by the breakup, but little did I know I would think otherwise down the road.

I had been thinking about rushing a sorority before I came to Ohio University, so when formal sorority recruitment came along I decided to register. I went through the two long, tiring weekends of small talk and house tours. It was almost like speed dating but with girls. Even though I went to nine different chapters, I only was interested in one throughout the whole formal recruitment process. When bid day came along I was more nervous than I ever thought I would be. What if the chapter I love didn’t love me? What if I get into the chapter that I disliked? As my rho gamma, my recruitment guide, handed me my bid day card I opened slowly praying for the name of my dream sorority to be on that car. When I read, “the Ohio Alpha chapter of Pi Beta Phi would like to extend to you a bid,” I was ecstatic. I finally had the opportunity to meet new close girlfriends like the ones I had in the “Powell Bubble.”

Becoming a member of Pi Beta Phi was the best decision of my college career. I not only gained 120 new friends but sisters. Even though I had just met these women I had felt as if we had known each other our whole lives. I began to tell my sisters things that I had never even told my high school friends. Over the next few months, I found out what it meant to have a home away from home. I had a place that I could go when I was bored in-between classes, also known as the peef mansion. I had 120 girls to text when I didn’t want to go to the dining hall alone, especially the older girls they loved getting swiped into the dinning halls. I had girls that had been through tougher things than I could have ever imagined going through, and so I learned from their experiences. I made friends with girls who had grown up in totally different religions, cultures, and worlds than I had, because contrary to popular belief, there are actually sororities that are comprised of more than just your average rich white girl. I enjoyed learning about things I had never experienced. I took note of the girl whose parents were going through an ugly divorce, and wondered how she ever had the strength to always have a smile on her face. I met the girl whose best friend had died in a drunk driving accident in high school, and was amazed at the way she had channeled her energy into preventing others from experiencing the same fate by spreading the awareness about drunk driving on our campus and at local high schools. I met the girl whose mother had died of breast cancer, and I didn’t reprimand her or judge her when she dealt with it by blacking out on a nightly basis. I would just sit with her while she sobbed, and I began to realize my heart could ache for one of my friends as if the pain was my own. My sisters had opened up to me and I to them, and by the end of my freshman year I was panicking about having to say goodbye to them for summer break.

Summer could not have gone slower, it seemed like I was separated from my sisters for twelve months instead of three. Saying goodbye to my high school friends was a piece of cake now that I had made 120 friends back at school. My closest friends in my pledge class and I were having so much withdraw from each other that I drove to Pittsburgh to spend a week with them that summer. I had never been to Pittsburgh and I loved having my friends show me around their hometowns. We went to the Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney concert, and I honestly to this day will say they are the best two concerts that I have ever been to.

Across college campuses, there is a stigma attached to Greek life. It may be from the debauchery portrayed by television, movies and the media. Going Greek is the college experience that everyone loves to hate. According to USA Today College, there are four common stereotypes about Greek life that can be debunked. First is, “Greeks only care about themselves” (Holmes). When you join a Greek organization you no longer only represent yourself, but your chapter as a whole. Along with representing your chapter, you represent important causes, such as Pi Beta Phi’s philanthropic organization, First Book, which helps fight illiteracy in impoverished school districts. “Greek organizations make up the largest network of volunteers in the U.S., donating more than 10 million hours of volunteer service each year” (Ferriss). A second stereotype is that, “Greeks don’t branch out beyond their social circle” (Holmes). Many chapters have requirements for their members to be involved in other groups on campus. “Nationwide, more than 85% of student leaders on college campuses are also involved in the Greek Community” (Harrington). A third stereotype is that, “sororities and fraternities are notorious partiers” (Holmes). It is a stigma that is depicted in countless television shows and movies; the idea that if you are in Greek life, your main priority is partying. Even though there have been incidents that solidify this notion, there is rarely information presented about what Greeks are doing to fight it. It would be naïve to say that partying does not occur, in any college setting not just Greek life, but when it becomes to much Greek organizations can induce more good than some may think. Many chapters have programs in place that provide members the support and help battling substance abuse or other disorders. I myself, was my chapters risk manager my sophomore year. As risk manager I hosted educational programs about the dangers of drinking and partying. A fourth stereotype about Greek life is that, “Greek life isn’t taken seriously in the professional world” (Holmes). “As a 2012, more than 9 million people nationally are part of the Greek system” (Ferriss). That is a large network of people one may be able to connect with when pursuing a career after college. Many alumni chapters are excellent resources when seeking career advice. Being a member of a Greek organization shows leadership, commitment and professionalism to the working world.

Being in a sorority is more than just fun parties and cool t-shirts to me. It is about finding my soul mates; people who understand me even when I don’t understand myself. It is about finding myself and setting a positive example in hopes of one day; breaking the stereotype it’s tradition and wearing my letters proudly, not for my own self-dignity, but in honor of the morals and values set forth by the women who made this whole experience possible. I wanted to encourage others to have the opportunity I did when I chose to go through recruitment so I decided to be a rho gamma my junior year. A rho gamma is a recruitment guide for potential new members going through recruitment. In order to make sure the girls do not have a biased experience I had to disaffiliate myself from my chapter. At first it was difficult not being able to wear my letters or hang out with my friends, but I met so many new friends in other chapters that I am still close with today. Being a rho gamma enhanced my Greek life experience. I was not only able to meet new friends in other chapters, but I was able to help young women join organizations that would soon change their lives like Pi Beta Phi has changed mine. At first you become part of the Greek community, but soon you find out that it becomes a part of you.

The women of Pi Beta Phi, the girls I call my best friends, my sisters, have changed my perspective of leaving my comfort zone of the “Powell Bubble.” As I approach my senior year of college I begin to feel that uneasy feeling that I have had before. I do not want to leave behind all of the wonderful friendships and relationships that I have made here at Ohio University. I get a strange feeling when I am about to leave a place, like I’ll not only miss the people I love but I’ll also miss the person I am now at this time and place, because I will never be this way ever again. Even though I am scared to leave my life at Ohio University behind, my experience going Greek has made me excited for the next steps of life after graduation. Without my sisters I would not have stayed at Ohio University, decided to change my major, or gotten over that high school boyfriend that I brought up before. I am incredibly blessed to be a part of such an amazing organization as Pi Beta Phi. My sisters have made me into a better version of myself.

Works Cited

Ferriss, Lucy. "Post Navigation." Lingua Franca Whats Greek About It Comments. N.p.,

 20 Aug. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.

Harrington, Rebecca. "The Biggest Lies About Sorority Life." The Huffington Post.

            TheHuffingtonPost.com, 31 Jan. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.

Holmes, Lindsay. "Opinion: Debunking 4 Greek-life Stereotypes." USA TODAY

 College. N.p., 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.