19 sororities. 7 days of formal recruitment. 1 decision, 1 lifetime of sisterhood.
With formal recruitment coming up, I wanted to take time and present 19 reasons from 19 sororities at UIUC as to why you will find your home, and why you should go through Formal Recruitment.
1. Change Lives.
Delta Delta delta sisters from the University of Illinois pose for a photo in front of St. Jude
First on the list is philanthropy. This picture is from Tri Delta's Instagram (@trideltauiuc). Their national philanthropy for their sorority is St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Tri Delta Sorority has raised over $47 million dollars over the years for the patients and families of St. Jude, inevitably making a huge difference for pediatric cancer patients. In this particular photo, these tridelt sisters are posing in front of Tri Delta place, a building on the St. Jude campus that Tri Delta built in order to help house the families of patients that receive treatment at St. Jude. St. Jude is very important to Tri Deltas all over the country, and especially to the Delta Pi chapter, housed at the University of Illinois.
2. Make memories that will last a lifetime.
Alpha Gamma Delta members caught in the moment of chanting and cheering for their new sisters at Bid Day 2016.
This picture comes to your phone from the Alpha Gamma Delta instagram (@uiucagd) for the University of Illinois chapter. I'm first going through sorority recruitment as an active this year, but I can tell you that there is no feeling quite like running home to your new sisters on bid day. When the doors of Foellinger auditorium open, there is just this feeling of relief that rush is over, and that you are about to run to not only your home for the next 4 years, but into the arms of loving and welcoming sisters who will be there for you through thick and thin. And the next year, you get to be one of those active members, welcoming home new sisters who were in those same shoes a year ago as well. Not to mention, Work Week (aka spirit week) is a fun filled bonding sesh that lasts an entire week, allowing you to be ready for formal recruitment and bond even more with your sisters.
3. Sisterhood.
This picture comes to us from the lovely Taylor Cygan, Phi Mu's Vice President. (you can find more additional pictures on instagram @illinoisphimu) This is an annual trip for most sororities at the University, and is a popular sisterhood retreat location as well. There is nothing quite like picking apples and getting hot cider on a brisk fall day while you pose for a million instagram worthy snaps all while getting to know your brand new sisters in your pledge class.
4. Finding someone to travel the world with.
This picture is from Pi Beta Phi's instagram (@illinoispiphi). One amazing opportunity that greek life has presented for these members of Pi Beta Phi and many other chapters on campus is being able to take a study abroad program, or just a vacation with your sisters. There is nothing quite like seeing the world with someone you call your sister.
5. Someone who will always get food with you.
2 members of Phi Sigma Sigma enjoying a tasty treat.
This picture is from Phi Sig's instagram, @phisiguiuc. This is another thing that really does happen throughout all chapters, but another great thing about being a member in a sorority is that there will always be another person to get a snack with, or eat dinner with, or just go out and grab food with. With over 150 sisters currently in every chapter, the likelihood of someone being hungry the same time as you is pretty good & who doesn't love eating delicious food with their closest friends?!
6. To always have someone by your side.
As seen in this picture from @axouiuc on Instagram, sisterhood means always having somebody by your side. Whether it be for a cute "TWYK" picture, or a trip to the lake, you will always have your sisters by your side whenever you need them.
7. Someone to run through life with.
2 sisters of Chi Omega at UIUC finish the 10K B1G marathon together, strong.
Now while the picture shows a more literal meaning of a sister running through life with you (finishing a 10K!!), you will also have sisters who will be there at the drop of a hat to help you. Whether that be to have a workout buddy, or a marathon buddy, sisters aren't just for 4 years. They're for life.
8. Sisters who just "get you."
Being surrounded by people who just "get" you. They just understand you and love you for who you are, unconditionally. In addition, joining a sorority at UIUC gives you the potentiality of finding "your people" and your best friends to be by your side all throughout college, just like in this picture from @illinoisadpi.
9. Find people to always have your back.
When you join your sorority, even on bid day you will find that your brand new sisters already love you, and want to help you however they can. From this picture from @illinoisgphi on Instagram, your sisters will always be there for you, when you need them, and will support you. They are there for you always, they truly will always have your back.
10. Find your game day squad.
Another amazing plus of sisterhood at UIUC is to always have sisters willing to go and cheer on the Fighting Illini with you on game days! Taken from @illinoisdeltazeta, you'll be surrounded by sisters who also love the Illini sports teams and want to go and cheer on our teams!
11. Academics.
It's no secret that the University of Illinois features a rigorous academic environment. Spending hours on the weeknights and weekends at the library by yourself gets boring very quickly. Not only does sisterhood offer sister study groups and access to the houses' library, but it offers sisters who challenge you to be the best you can be academically, and instant tutors for almost any class or major you could need help with. Taken from @illinoisaoii on Instagram.
12. People who smile with you even on the rainy days.
Members of Alpha Epsilon Phi are still smiling, even when it's raining,
In this picture from @aephi_illinois on insta, you can see that even on the toughest and rainiest days, you will still be surrounded by positive and happy sisters, just because you guys are spending time together.
13. Throwing what you know, wherever you go.
Members of Kappa Alpha Theta proudly throwing what they know.
This is more or less a sorority tradition, and almost a sorority must when you go to an incredible or scenic location. In addition, it's always fun to represent your letters even when you may not be physically wearing them. Plus, if your sorority has a harder hand sign, it's fun to show off that you can actually do said hand sign. Taken from @illinoistheta on Instagram.
14. Live in an actual mansion with 40 of your closest friends.
The Kappa Kappa Gamma house at UIUC.
Most sorority members live in at least 1 year throughout their college years. Living in not only presents the opportunity to live in a gorgeous house with a chef and multiple living areas and study rooms, but also the ability to spend so much time with between 30-60 of your closest friends. The Illinois KKG house shows that opportunity here, in this picture from @illinoiskkg on Instagram.
15. Sisters that you can spend your days Doing Good with.
Another point for philanthropy, but this is a big event for Delta Gamma at Illinois. The girls work really hard year round to put on multiple philanthropic events that benefit their sorority's national philanthropy, Service for Sight. Taken from @deltagammauiuc on Instagram.
16. Sisters to spend days on the quad with.
The quad is an iconic staple of the University of Illinois, and when you are a member of a sorority at UIUC, especially one located only steps from the quad, it's great to have sisters who want to spend time outside sitting on the quad eating, studying, being active or just enjoying the nice weather.
17. Meeting sisters from across the country.
McKenzie Kitzmiller of Kappa Delta met a sister from across the country while on a cruise!
You literally never know where you might meet a fellow sister, and for McKenzie Kitzmiller of Illinois Kappa Delta, she met one right on the same cruise as her! With most sororities having over 150,000 active members throughout the country, you just might meet a sister that could be sitting right next to you. Taken from the @uiuckappadelta Instagram.
18. Meeting celebrities
Surprisingly, this has happened twice this year on the UIUC campus. Being a member of a big sorority at a Big 10 school, you never know just who might stop by at your house. For Alpha Phi, that was Sammy Adams. Taken from @illinoisalphaphi on Instagram.
19. Finding your home.
Members of Alpha Xi Delta on bid day in front of their home in Champaign.
Lastly, finding your true home away from home for your time on campus. Being at UIUC, it can feel lonely at times. Joining a sorority guarantees that you will find a place of loving, welcoming sisters and a place of refuge on your most difficult days on campus. Taken from @axid_illinois on Instagram.
