When I first got to college, Greek life wasn't anywhere on my mind. I've heard about it and seen it in movies, but I didn't think I could or would want to be a part of it. It seemed superficial and intimidating honestly! Yet, when the rush season came around I decided to step out of my comfort zone and rush! For me, it was a great choice, and I have now been apart of my sorority for a year. I want to impart what I have learned to any new hopefull greeks or anyone who is just curious about greek life!
You do meet many new people, but that is not a guarantee for new friends.
When I first joined my sorority I was shocked as to how many sisters I had! I had over 100 girls just in my pledge class. I thought they were all so amazing and I reveled in the fact that they were all going to be my friends! But, that wasn't the fact. Yes, I had sisters, but making friends within the sorority took a lot of effort and wasn't an immediacy. People in the sorority already have their friend groups and honestly, you aren't going to like everyone in your pledge class, because every girl is their own unique person! Making friends, just like in any context, can be difficult so if you plan to make friends with your sisters then you gotta put in the effort.
There are so many things to do! but there is a huge commitment.
When you join any greek life you are bound to be a part of a lot of activities. There are formals and mixers and greek week. Yet, with all these "fun" things come weekly chapter meeting and philanthropy events and workshops and so on. Most everything I did with my sorority was fun, but it took up a lot of my time and I wish I would've realized that before committing to it. I found myself wishing I could join more clubs and such but that wasn't feasible with how busy I was.
You get a lot of cool opportunities but at a cost.
Connections, connections, connections. Truly networking with a sorority or fraternity is so valuable. You know so many people that know so many other people and just being apart of that chapter can get you into a place that you may not have been able to without the connections. I know several siters who have gotten jobs from other sisters, and I even got to model for a boutique one of my sisiters worked at. Also, in my sorority, I have gotten to go to a hockey game and trampoline places and many other fun activities. But all these fun things do not come cheap! Chapter dues every semester differ for every school and chapter, according to USA Today, "the average new sorority member will pay $1,280 per semester and the average fraternity member will pay $605 per semester ." If you are like me, adulting, this is A LOT of money to add on to overwhelming tuition and living costs. But if you can afford it or have awesome parents who are willing to pay for it, go for it.
Really it's all about if you think it will be worth it for YOU. Does the value of greek life reap the rewards that you want and deserve? Is the amount of time commitment and money worth everything else that comes out of it?
I am so glad that I got to be in a sorority my freshman year. It is truly an experience I could never get anywhere else and something I have learned a lot from. Even though I am not continuing my journey with my sorority, I do not regret rushing and being apart of it. Greek life is a college experience few get to encounter, will you?
