When I moved from a town of 500 to a university of over 10,000, I wanted to meet people. I knew one person out of 10,000 and making friends was top priority. But, when I decided I wanted to get involved to meet people, I was told over and over, "You should go through recruitment!" I honestly thought about it for a split second, until I was pressured for weeks about it. When I made the decision not to go through recruitment, I felt like everyone around me was judging me, and I still do. When I meet people in sororities, and they ask if I'm Greek, I respond honestly. In return, I get a spiel on how amazing Greek Life is, and how I'd love it so much, and how I just need to give it a chance.
Newsflash-- Greek Life isn't for everyone. If it's something you love, that's great, but it really isn't for everyone. There are a variety of different reasons that I'm not involved in Greek Life, and I'm sure everyone who has gotten the same speeches have perfectly good reasons for not going Greek.
First of all, Greek Life is expensive. Like, really, really expensive. I can barely afford to live on campus as it is, let alone pay an extra few hundred dollars a semester to "meet people." The average pledge fee is nearly $1,300 per semester. And living in the sorority house? That's extra too. Then there's the cost of "big/little" gifts, and a fee if you miss an important meeting. I'm poor, and, even with a job, I wouldn't be able to afford to be Greek.
Another reason rushing didn't work for me-- the time commitment. I am involved in so much already that I don't have the time to dedicate to a sorority. Going Greek is a big commitment, when you consider service hours, homecoming, formals, chapter meetings, study hours, and that's just the beginning. I am using my time to dedicate in Student Government, writing, career organizations, a job, internships, and I'm always stretched thin. Some of us really don't have the time.
My biggest issue with the hype surrounding Greek Life is the way it perpetuates a superiority complex. There's a lot of "behind-closed-doors" stuff that people on the outside don't always see. Around our area, parties involving alcohol and drugs are countless, and peer pressure from your sorority sisters or frat brothers is often worse than that of another friend. I see hazing happening all the time around campus: people being humiliated in the middle of the Cafe, frats forcing their pledges to walk in a straight line, like they're in kindergarten (a "fraterpillar," if you will). The submissive nature of sororities to fraternities breeds rape culture like rabbits. These situations teach pledges they are lesser than their older brothers or sisters. This teaches them that people are not equals, that women are supposed to have a certain attitude towards men, that it's okay to treat people in a demeaning and humiliating way. This is the largest and most serious reason that I am opposed to going Greek.
If you are enjoying Greek Life, that's great, and I'm happy for you. But, going Greek is not a great experience for everyone. Not everyone has the desire, time, or funds to rush. While it may be a positive decision for some, it just isn't doable for others. No judgement should be passed on someone for making the decision not to go Greek. It's hard enough to get through college as it is without the stigma of being a non-Greek being shoved in our faces every day. Trust me, we're just fine without Greek Life.
