Rush week is upon us, and this sparks both excitement and dread for all sorority members. This isn't an article about sorority rush. Instead, I urge potential new members wary about living in a sorority house to read this article. Like with everything, there are pros and cons to living in a house with 80 plus girls, but I would not change it for the world.
1. There's a lot of noise.
As you can imagine, having nearly 100 girls coming and going from one building is going to be loud. Everywhere you look there are people eating, talking, squealing, showering, doing laundry, eating, slamming doors, listening to music, playing instruments, watching TV and more. It doesn't come as a shock that it is extremely difficult to study in the house during the waking hours, which would possibly deter people from joining a sorority; however, I always study elsewhere. There are so many academic buildings and libraries on campus that it isn't a necessity to do any real studying in the house. Instead, I come back to the house when I need a break from the books and want to socialize. If you lived in an apartment with only a few other people and wanted to talk to someone, it is a likely possibility that no one would be there. That most definitely won't happen in a sorority house.
I may be exaggerating a little, as per my specialty, and there are times when the house is quiet and you cannot believe that 80 girls are living in it. At most times, however, there is a pleasant background track of voices and sounds that automatically makes you feel less lonely. I'd take that over dead silence any day.
2. Everything you need is in one place.
One of the biggest perks of living in a sorority is that you don't need to leave the house in order to do what you need to do, unlike in dorms and some apartments. Need to take a shower? The bathroom is only a couple steps away...not all the way down the hallway. Hungry? Hot, freshly prepared food is just downstairs. You don't need to cook or clean your own dishes, which is definitely reason number three. Need to do laundry? There's a laundry room in the basement with plenty of washers and dryers that you don't need to pay to use. Bored? There are board games, TVs, movies and your friends at every turn.
3. Each sorority has a kitchen staff.
Coming home from a long day of classes and the last thing that you want to do is cook yourself a meal. More than likely, you'll settle for ramen noodles or easy mac. When you live in a sorority house, meals are included in the cost. In my house, we get lunch and dinner every day. If you don't like what's for dinner, there's always a salad and sandwich bar for backup. We also have snacks, fresh fruit, breakfast cereals, yogurts, eggs, coffee on tap and more available at all times. It is incredibly convenient, and you don't even need to wash your own dishes, so say goodbye to fighting with roommates over the dishes piled in the sink.
4. You don't really have personal space.
Even though some sorority houses look like mansions from the outside, the rooms are usually smaller than a traditional dorm room. At most houses, you have between one and three roommates, and the rooms usually cannot even have beds. Currently, I am sharing a small room with two other girls and it has no beds, a beanbag, and 1.5 desks. Instead, there are dozens of bunk beds in the attic which is designated as "cold air". This room is always dark, and the air conditioner is always blasting, creating perfect sleeping conditions. While this may seem weird to some, I think it is awesome. When your roommate is asleep in your dorm room, you feel an obligation to tip toe around, and they most likely will get mad if you wake them up. With a designated sleeping room, no one gets woken up in your actual room and instead, it becomes a hangout spot where you can be as loud as you want without worrying about disturbing anyone.
So even though it's a tight fit, I would much rather enjoy the time I spend with my roommates in here dancing and listening to music instead of avoiding the room because so and so is taking a nap or studying in the room.
5. The highs are that much higher and the lows don't get quite so low.
Imagine finally getting that internship that you have been trying so hard to get, coming into your apartment and no one is there to share your excitement.
When you live in a sorority house, there are dozens of people ready to hear your good news and jump around in excitement with you. If you had a really rough day, there's always people around to listen and dry your tears. It doesn't matter how loud the house gets or how small the rooms feel, the camaraderie that I feel living in a house with so many of my close friends is a once in a lifetime opportunity. College has its ups and downs and having a team of girls at your side through it makes all the difference.
College is already hard. Not having a strong support group is only going to make it harder. While there are both pros and cons to living in a sorority house, the benefits completely outweigh the negatives, which have easy solutions. If you are doubting whether you think you can live in a house with nearly 100 other girls, I urge you to not let this doubt prevent you from trying. I cannot imagine not having my closest friends an arm's length away to study with, cry with, laugh with and just relax with. In my opinion, living in a sorority house helps you get the most out of your college experience, and I hope this article has helped any PNM's questioning their ability to live in feel more at ease.
Good luck with recruitment ladies!
