Top Three Reasons to Join a Sorority
By: Sylvia Tamez
Sororities embody the spirit and unity of girlhood with bright smiles, friendship bracelets, and coordinated outfits, but is there more to being a part of a sorority?
Addy Thames, a first-year criminal justice major who plans to go into the police force, and is a proud member of Delta Zeta, gives her opinion of being in a sorority.
“If you had asked me in high school, I would've said no,“ she said.
However, because of the influence of her family, she decided to rush and ultimately found her current house, Delta Zeta.
“If you know you're new to college and you're not social, join it, even if you don't get into it you'll know all the girls you rushed with,” said Thames.
This is Addy’s first year both in college and as a sorority member, and she has found the experience to be highly enjoyable.
“It brings you out of your comfort zone and it’s a great way to know faces,” said Thames.
If you’re considering joining a sorority, here are the top three reasons why it could be a great decision for you: professional growth, involvement in campus life, and unforgettable memories.
While pop culture and media often portray sororities as a way to party, they can provide opportunities for professional growth. Many of the “big sisters" in the sororities as well as alumni have connections within various fields for students to engage with. The leadership roles and responsibilities within a sorority can help students develop skills like teamwork, organization, and public speaking, which can help benefit the future of its members. Regardless of what many think, you learn a lot within those four years.
If you’re someone who enjoys being hands-on, whether through community service projects or social gatherings, joining a sorority can significantly increase your opportunities for involvement on campus. You’ll get to engage in events that can create meaningful college memories from working with other organizations and fraternities to supporting charities. This involvement can also help build a strong network of friends both outside and inside your sorority.
Photoshoots, study sessions, and girl bonding moments may seem small, but they are the biggest memories. Rather than spending all your time in your dorm, you can dress up with your sisters and make the college experience fun.
“You get built-in friends that you get to know better over the semester,” “Go Greek Go Delta Zeta,” Thames said.
If you prefer staying in, your sisters will be there to support you. Even after graduation, you’ll continue to have the support and closeness of your sorority sisters.
Closeted in Canyon:
My Experience With Queerness at a Young Age in Texas.
By: Ashlyn Harvell
I was born and raised in Canyon, Texas. I was not raised knowing what the LGBTQ+ community was or that it even existed. Instead, in Canyon, you are expected and sometimes forced to go to church every Sunday, respect the people older than you, no matter their experience, never tell people too much about yourself or what you’re going through. You must always be proud of where you come from, agree with your family because they are your family and there’s no disagreeing with blood... The list goes on and on, but, for me, this environment made finding myself much more complex and confusing than necessary.
While listening to a podcast called “Made It Out” recently, they addressed how hard it is to be LGTBTQ+ and grow up in a small and conservative town/state. They said it makes sense that when you grow up in a conservative town, and you feel comfortable there, it is going to be scary to leave it and experience new things. However, when you grow up there and feel uncomfortable, moving away to a more diverse place could allow you to thrive. Because cis-gendered white people in Canyon don’t have to worry about getting shouted at or being the target of a hate crime for being different, they think it’s a great a town, and for them, it really is. But I grew up feeling different, feeling wrong and confused, and now that I am an adult, I worry about things people with straight privilege would never consider when taking a job at a church or just going to a public event.
This left me entering intermediate school with no clue that I was queer or even any vocabulary on the subject to allow me that exploration. I remember specifically a lesbian couple, one of very few to go through Canyon schools openly, embracing in the band hall one day. I saw this and thought, “Aww, how cute; I wish I had a friend like that.” It was not until later that I found out they were dating, and I could not help being jealous. But what does that mean? Oh, I am just jealous of the relationship, it’s not the genders of the people involved, right?
Well then, my first girl crush enters the group chat. I had always admired her from afar in my classy band class, but I just thought it was because she was a cool person. I got closer to her through music and found myself looking for her in the crowd and getting excited to see her in band every day. Of course, I know now it was because I had completely fallen for her, but I was clueless then. However, I was still coping with the fact that I felt different about guys than the girls around me did, but I just couldn’t figure out why. How come all these girls are so concerned about what the guys think of them (that’s a whole other problem concerning the Male Gaze) and why don’t I feel the same? Why don’t I always have that guy I’m crushing on? I filled in the blanks with random popular guys that the girls liked when people asked me who I had a crush on because I thought they were attractive. I convinced myself, “Oh, maybe that’s all they feel too.” Long story short, it wasn’t until my first year of high school that I finally realized what all the signs were telling me and could admit that I had a crush on the same girl for four years, yikes. Then, I cut my hair short and became more confident because I was finally starting to feel like myself.
Now, this doesn’t scratch the surface of the internalized homophobia I was dealing with, the mental health issues I was facing due to my parents’ divorce, and lots of other lovely things from my childhood, but it highlights just how damaging small towns with little diversity can be. All this to say, figuring out who you are is not easy and every circumstance is different. If you are going through it too, it is ok. You are going to be ok and no matter what you decide, being authentically you is always the better option. If you know someone struggling with this topic, give them grace, it takes time to figure out the “right” label (do not get me started on the problems with labeling) and sometimes people get it wrong or change their mind. What matters, queer or not, is that we are all trying to be ourselves to the best that we know how.
Travel Abroad? I barely know her. What you’ll need to know to get acquainted with WT’s study abroad programs.
By: Victoria Reyes
West Texas A&M University offers many study abroad programs for its students. If this is something you’re considering, the Eternal Flame team has created a list of tasks to help you prepare for takeoff.
After selecting a desired program from the WTAMU website, students can begin the application process. However, the process varies across different programs. Click here to view a detailed infographic explaining the different processes.
According to the WTAMU calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page), the deadline to apply for all Winter and Spring semester programs is Sept. 15.
Below is a provided list of required forms for students participating in WT study abroad programs:
Click here to view the Table of Deadlines for paperwork due dates.
According to the WTAMU website, students are advised to review and become familiar with the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership Student Travel Procedures (OSEL).
Other Tasks to complete:
Apply for a passport
Apply for your chosen program (faculty-led, exchange, or provider)
Apply for scholarships and financial aid (if applicable)
Apply for a student visa (if needed)
Attend mandatory pre-departure orientation with the Office of Student Accessibility
WT officials encourage students to take care of personal needs including getting prescriptions, forwarding mail, arranging for plants to be watered, storing your car, etc.
For more information or questions, email studyabroad@wtamu,edu, visit Classroom Center 115A or call 806-651-5309.