Any time I tell someone I live in my sorority house, the first thing they ask is "Oh, how is that? What's it like?" I have yet to come up with a suitable, concise answer. There are days where it doesn't feel like anything special, and there are days when you sit back in class and realize "Oh, shit - I live in a mansion with 60 other girls. Woah."
So I decided with the holidays and the flood of questions about this past semester coming up, I would try to outline the pros and cons of living in a massive sorority house, like I do at the University of Alabama.
Pro: The Bathrooms
Big. Clean. Great water pressure. Lots of mirrors and great lighting. Not to mention, you only have to clean up after yourself. So as long as everyone acts like responsible, decent people, it's a wonderful experience.
Con: The Bathrooms
The girls living in the house have openly discussed the importance of proper bathroom etiquette. However, that's only 60 out of 400 girls using those bathrooms that understand that their parents aren't there to clean up after them again. You would think everyone would know it is not okay to leave the bathroom looking like a kitten just came through and shredded all the toilet paper... but I guess not.
Pro: Sisterhood
You get to experience your sorority in a way you’ll never be able to again. It's an incredible opportunity to share a home with so many of your sisters, something you only have available to you for four years.
Con: Sisterhood Around the Clock
You can’t get away with it. Your room, your safe place, is surrounded by sisterhood. Sometimes you just need a break from the glitter. (Seriously it looks like a unicorn threw up everywhere if even one girl walks in wearing glitter.)
Pro: Meeting new people
You meet so many new people and get close to them in a way you wouldn’t have been before. The rumors are true, living in a sorority house is exactly like having 61 combined closets.
Con: Meeting too many people... too late at night
I am convinced freshmen are becoming nocturnal. My roommate and I, however, are not. We enjoy going to bed on the same day we woke up that morning. We do not enjoy being able to eavesdrop on conversations at 2 a.m. through paper thin walls.
Pro: Food
It's right there. You roll out of bed, you roll down the stairs, and bam you have the work of amazing chefs at your fingertips. This is easily one of my favorite parts of living in the house after living off-campus last year and having to drive 5-10 minutes to get dinner.
Con: Self Restraint
Just because there is always amazing food and a 24-hour snack selection does not mean you should indulge yourself 24/7. This is a hard one for many.
Pro: Location
It's. Right. There. Right on campus. It's amazing. Again, you roll out of bed, roll down some stairs, roll out the door, and all of a sudden you're on campus. No buses, no commute, it's wonderful.
Con: Strict Rules
Each sorority has different rules and requirements for living in the house, which is understandable. But they are strict. It is a privilege to have these houses, which puts a lot of responsibility on the girls living in the house to maintain the privilege.
Pro: You Get to live in a mansion
At the end of the day, you get to go home to a mansion full of people you love and amazing food. Yes, it's crazy sometimes. Yes, it's loud. Yes, it's full of glitter. But how many people can say they have had this experience?
