Members of Greek life on the University of Idaho campus often refer to each other as “brothers” and “sisters.” But what happens when those terms mean more than just recognition of a fellow member in a house?
Biological sisters Clara and Martha Bowman said Greek life has helped them grow, as students and as siblings.
Clara, a junior who studies physics and international studies, said she had never really considered Greek life until she began her journey at UI. Prior to her visits to the different Greek houses on campus, Clara said she wasn’t very keen on the idea.
The only aspects of Greek life she had seen were the common stereotypes associated with them. But after some research, she quickly fell in love with the Kappa Delta sorority and the women who were its members.
“I just remember feeling like I really connected with a lot of the girls at Kappa Delta,” Clara said. “It really just felt like home.”
She said her misconceptions of Greek life and how she imagined it to be was not accurate. Instead, Clara said she has discovered an incredibly supportive community of people who strive to be the best version of themselves.
“I enjoyed being able to find people that I could really connect with,” Clara said. “People who made me feel comfortable and confident with being who I am, but then challenged me to grow.”
When Clara told her younger sister Martha that she planned on joining a sorority, Martha was shocked.
“I never thought she would join,” Martha said. “I thought she was crazy.”
But, two years after Clara became a member of Kappa Delta, her pleasant experience at the sorority sparked a curiosity about Greek life within Martha, an incoming freshman at the time. That eventually led the younger Bowman sister to register for Greek Recruitment.
When Martha began the recruitment process, Clara said she encouraged her sister to explore all of the different sororities in order to find the best fit for her. Eventually though, Martha choose Kappa Delta as her house. Although they ended up in the same sorority, Martha said she was confident she would have spent plenty of time with her sister regardless of which house she chose.
After an emotional reunion on bid day, the sisters were living together once again, and they said the only downside they’ve noticed has been people mixing up their names.
“It’s not perfect,” Martha said. “Obviously we’re sisters, and sisters get along most of the time, but they have their squabbles. If there’s ever a time where Clara and I aren’t getting along it’s definitely challenging because we are in such close proximity.”
Clara said the experience with her sister at Kappa Delta has been a rewarding one. In addition to improving their relationship as sisters, Clara said having a sibling in the house has helped bridge the gap between upper and lower classmen and has made it easier to connect with new friends.
The Greek system promotes networks of people who work together, and having a sibling makes that network even stronger. This network can even help to diminish the perceived competition between the different Greek houses.
“We get into this mentality with recruitment, with homecoming and with events where we feel like we have to be the best “¦ but a lot of the sororities were founded on the same values,” Clara said. “A lot of sororities and fraternities value the same things in people and there really is this sense of togetherness, but we don’t always portray that.”
Martha said while going through recruitment, one of the things she admired most about UI’s Greek community was how connected it was.
That admiration is shared by twin brothers, Chase and Hayden Pratt, members of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. The Pratt brothers are sophomores, both studying business in hopes of one day starting a company together. Similar to the Bowman sisters, the brothers never anticipated that they’d join a Greek house.
Chase said they ducked into Delta Tau Delta to avoid the rain during their Vandal Friday visit, and after a short stay, the decision was clear.
“We could tell they had the same goals and outlook as we did,” Chase said.
The brothers signed their bid cards and became official members of Greek life.
Hayden and Chase knew they would never want to live in separate houses. Hayden said having a real sibling in the house makes it much easier to make friends.
“I believe I’ve met and made more lifelong friends here having a twin,” Hayden said.
In addition to loving the environment of their own house, the brothers said they also enjoy interacting with the other Greeks. They appreciate the Greek community as a whole.
“I see no rivalry between the houses honestly,” Chase said. “We obviously have pride in our house, but it shouldn’t be a competition.”
Greek houses aim to create a community of supportive people regardless of their letters. It doesn’t matter if someone has actual family in their house, because in the Greek system they treat everybody like family.