I am a sister hailing from Alpha Upsilon Pi Sorority of Manhattan College in New York City. We’ve been the longest-running Greek organization at Manhattan College, and despite our age, we are still looking fabulous. At just over thirty active sisters, we are little but we are fierce. And yes, we are the only chapter in existence.
There are some obvious cons to being in a local sorority:
Con: No nation-wide brunches
Pro: The small size dictates an even more tight-knit group than imaginable. Pro: Our dues cost much, much less.
Pro: We can do whatever we want; we are our own bosses. Pro: Even though we are small, we still feel that we have joined something even bigger than ourselves. I can honestly say that being in a local sorority as opposed to a national sorority has greatly benefitted me as a person and as a woman. Now, this isn’t to knock national sororities; they are perfectly fine in their own right. But for some of us, local letters suit us just as well, if not better. “We may not be as high up as national sororities, but we have so much heart and soul,” says my sister Valentina Valldares.
I remember the first day I put on my letters, my official blue-and-golds. There was nothing quite like that feeling, and it was in that moment that I understood why people join Greek organizations. It was that feeling of being accomplished, being a part of a group of not just friends, but sisters. It didn’t matter that we were the only ones. For us, that’s part of what makes us special. Anyone who’s in a local sorority knows exactly what we mean.
Jocelyn Mercado is a sister of Alpha Upsilon Pi sorority in NYC. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter: @jbriannax
