By the time students enter college, they know about Greek life. Whether it be from parents, older siblings, or even what they’re taught in movies, students have some predisposed conception about this culture.
Some students absolutely cannot wait to rush and find their “forever home." Others detest the idea of joining something so “outlandish” and “wasteful” that they could not even consider going to an informational meeting. However, most students are on the fence because they do not know enough about Greek life to make a decision.
Making the right decision for you comes with having all the facts. More often than not, the information students have are stereotypes they learned from movies. Of those stereotypes, more than 75 percent are completely false. These false stereotypes can be discouraging to many. False information should not deter you from participating in one of the greatest opportunities college has to offer.
1. You pay for your friends: This is the most common complaint I hear from independent students who are not a part of Greek life. Yes, while joining a sorority means you have dues to pay, you do not buy friendship. The dues go toward supplies for the house, bonding programs, rush week, and even the formals and dances we have. Just like any other club might have a membership fee, so do sororities. If we’re paying for friendship, we sure aren’t paying enough for the friends I’ve made. Plus, if I’m paying for friendship, that means someone is paying for my friendship, and I have yet to receive a check.
2. You have to be rich: I won’t lie to you. Sorority dues can be steep. But if you’re willing to find the money, you won’t waste a penny. I know that many of my sisters are not rich but are still here. Almost all hold part time jobs or internships. Many pay for their dues. Some pay for other bills such as car insurance, renter’s insurance (if living off campus), for their gas, cell phone bill, etc. Dues can seem expensive but they’re worth it. No one will pressure you to have all the latest and trendy expensive technology or clothing because we understand. There’s no application to be a sorority girl that includes “must wear Lily Pulitzer and carry a Prada bag” (nothing wrong with that if you do).
3. You have to know which house you want: Up until about a week before rushing began, I didn’t even know if I wanted to rush. When I did finally decide to give it a shot, the house I ended up in was not my first preference at the time. The rushing process educates you on each house on campus to help you decide which one you want. You might not end up where your older sister was and your best friend might be in another house. That’s completely fine. You’ll end up where you’re supposed to be, and all the sisters there will love you just the same.
4. You will be hazed: Almost all schools, even those without Greek life, have strict rules against hazing. Local law enforcement gets involved if someone reports a case of hazing. Hazing is so highly discouraged that many organizations are fearful of even jokingly being reported of hazing. Most sororities’ national headquarters have a no-tolerance policy of hazing. You. Will. Not. Be. Hazed.
5. You can only be friends with people in Greek life: While it’s easier to have your closest friends in Greek life, it’s not difficult to remain friends with the people outside of it. Being in a sorority is a time commitment, but you will still have free time and you will still see your friends. You can still eat together and study together and spend hours making up bad inside jokes. Being Greek is not your number one quality and it isn’t exclusive to all other aspects of your life.
6. You have to be perfect: It is encouraged for members of sororities to look presentable while wearing our letters, but we’re human too. We have morning breath. Sometimes we go days without washing our hair. We almost always wear sweatpants and hoodies around the house. We eat junk food and don’t exercise for months. Most of us don’t even wear make up to early classes. Being in a sorority means being there for the sisterhood and the philanthropy, not for the selfies (they are fun though).
7. Girls only join to sleep with Frat guys: I’m going to have to stop you there. This claim is completely absurd to me. Many of my sisters have boyfriends, some of which are long term. And of those boyfriends, several aren’t even members of Greek life. The fraternity men we associate with are wonderful people and excellent friends. Not all of them are desperately trying to sleep with sorority girls and vice versa. We are collective members of a community and are bound to make platonic friendships.
8. You have to love partying: Being a sorority member means branching out your friend group and thus being invited to more functions, such as parties. But Greek life isn’t a Monday-Sunday, 24/7 party world. Of my sisters who do party, some will go out once or twice a week, but the majority go out about once a month. Some don’t at all. It’s not required on any level that you have to party to be a sorority sister. It does happen, and some see it as a perk to the package. It does not mean you’re weird or excluded. I guarantee you won’t be the only sister home for the night.
9. It will only work if you’re best friends with all of your sisters: Being friends with all of your sisters makes life much easier, but it’s not always going to work out. With a group of 70+ girls, there are numerous personalities and sets of values that may clash. There will be arguments and some cold shoulders, but everyone eventually comes back together. It’s a requirement to love all your sisters but you don’t have to be best friends. Think of the relationship like real sisters. You do not always get along, but you always have each other’s backs.
10. It’s a life time commitment with no going back: Sororities are not gangs or cults. You didn’t sign your name in blood. If you decide Greek life isn’t for you, that's fine. Your sisters will be sad to see you go, but you will not suffer any type of bullying. You’ll still keep the friendships you made there (if you so choose) and no one is going to call you a traitor or a deserter. College is about finding yourself through trial and error. You’ll get there.
