Incongruencies- The Drunken Stereotype

 Pictures like this drive me nuts! Pictures like this is the reason why Greeks are stereotyped in such negative ways. In my opinion, these girls are not that provocatively dressed, clearly they were going to a themed party, but it was the actions they probably did that night which made people associate sorority girls with being drunken sluts.

The Greek community, as a whole, has many incongruencies that we need to improve upon. But one main thing that we need to focus on is the way we present ourselves. Just because you have finished a long week of studying and midterms, it doesn't give you the privilege to let go of all inhibitions and act like a drunken fool. But let's be real. We are in college. College students drink. We party. It's not a secret and it's not something we have to keep private. However, everyone needs to be conscious of their actions and stay in control of their behaviors.

Whether you are part of the Greek community or a member of a sports team, chess club, tye-dye club, BBQ club, etc.. most likely, more times than once, you have partied in college, which I think is fine. It is part of the college experience. It is not only the members of Greek Life who drink on the weekends. However, it is much easier to associate poor behaviors connected to drinking with members of the Greek community. It's easy for a person on high street to classify all sorority girls as sloppy drunks if they see a girl, wearing her letters, stumbling down the street. It only takes one sorority or fraternity member to make someone think poorly of us. We should set an example for our community, instead of giving people reasons to build on the stereotypes.

Simple ways we can attempt to avoid these stereotypes is by being more conscious of our actions while wearing our letters. Greek members of all fraternities and sororities are being incongruent to our values by drinking, smoking, or just simply acting belligerent in letters. Please, if you're going to drink, whether you are in a fraternity or sorority, don't wear you letters! You represent more than just your fraternity or sorority, but you represent the entire Greek community. In letters, or not, we need to better uphold our values. Another incongruent behavior that drives me nuts is when sorority girls, in particular, chant their cheers on the streets or on the way to TG's and date parties. Many of these chants are degrading and humiliating. Some chants, not only talk about drinking, but suggest that sorority girls are promiscuous. Even if you are not the one cheering these chants, it is important that you stop your friends. More importantly than how people perceive us, we need to be more congruent with our morals and have more respect for ourselves.