Breaking Out Of
The Bubble
It was
Saturday June 4th , 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.
