Many people I talked with seemed put off, agitated and downright insulted by the non-Greek article “Feeling Foreign?” in last week’s issue of The Times-Delphic. I wasn’t one of those people.

And, oh, I’m Greek.

It was an opinion column, it didn’t need to be balanced and it wasn’t supposed to appeal to everyone. Parts of it were admittedly clever and, as a whole, it wasn’t badly written. There were passages that struck me as rather flippant and not thoroughly researched. For example, while it is expensive to be in a sorority, there are a lot, I repeat, a lot of girls who pay for it through scholarships and their own hard work, not just the “First Bank of Mom and Dad.” But again, it was an opinion.

And I’ll be honest, I agree: “It’s A-OK not be Greek.”

Maybe Greeks are just a little bit “clique-y.” But then, so are the athletes, the Campus Fellowship members, the DEAL activists and the international student groups. Face it, people hang out with their friends, whether they’re in a sorority or fraternity, or in a team or club.

So, why pay for your friends then, right? Isn’t that what everyone wonders? As Tiffany Krause (J2) said, “Meeting new people, making connections, networking and building relationships are things one can acquire in any organization, not just through Greek life.” Again, no arguments here.

I’m working a campus job, sucking up to my parents and applying for every cent of financial aid I can get because, unlike Krause, I am willing to pay the price.

The girls in my house don’t all look, dress or think exactly like me. We have different majors, different family backgrounds, different political ideologies and different religions. However, we share common ambitions and core standards.

But couldn’t those things could be found in a professional fraternity too, or heck, maybe even in a book club?

The traditions and history based on unique principles, the chances to interact and live with women who have taken an oath to support and encourage me, the volunteering, social, academic and professional opportunities and the knowledge that there are thousands more women out there who have promised to uphold the same values as I have is something of which I want to be a part.

In reality, though, I’m not paying a dime for any of that stuff. My money goes toward a house to live in, food to eat, supplies for social events and national dues – the friendships you form yourself.

“Without getting too Freudian and psychoanalytical,” I’ve come to realize that connections formed and developed within my Greek chapter will be some of the most lasting and significant relationships I’ll ever have. I’ve met friends, some of my best friends, in a variety of ways since arriving at Drake, not just through my involvement in Greek life.

But 50 years from now, being the president of the Literary Society or a Triathlon Club buff won’t hold the same meaning it does now. When I’m sitting in a nursing home, playing bingo and cleaning my hearing aids, I’ll still be a member of my sorority. I’ll still be invited to events, contacted by other alums and current members and kept up to date on happenings at the local chapter. I hate it when people say stuff like this, but it really is a concept you can’t quite understand until you’re in it.

I would strongly encourage people to go through Recruitment (not “Rush,” just like “residence halls” are not “dorms” and “first-years” are not “freshmen” … raise your hand if you’re sick of having to be politically correct). It’s a great way to meet people and get some free snacks. It’s also one of the best ways to see Greek life at Drake firsthand, and maybe dispel a few stereotypes about those like, totally uber-rich and snobby drunks. As long as I’m respecting your choice not to join me in sporting that trendy ancient alphabet, you may as well recognize my right to enjoy the fact that I do.

So cut Tiffany some slack; she wrote how she felt. And you know what? Not being Greek is “A-OK” with me, too. I just know that I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

Schnoebelen is a sophomore news/internet journalism major with a politics minor and can be contacted at ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu.