“I’ll never be in a sorority." "Greek life isn’t for me." The two sentences I often found myself uttering when I was an incoming freshman. I saw stereotypical representations of Greek life in the media; popular films such as “The House Bunny” and “Neighbors” painted me a picture of the "typical" sorority girl. I hated the idea of paying dues just to hang out with the same group of girls for four years. To put it simply, as an incoming freshman, I decided that I would never ever be in Greek life.
But here I am, writing this article, two years later as a member of Delta Zeta at The College of New Jersey. You can call me a hypocrite or a phony—whatever you may like. But let me explain to you why you should give Greek life a chance—even if you don’t think it’s for you, just as I had.
1. Meeting New People
Going into recruitment as a sophomore, I thought I was going to be surrounded by mostly familiar faces. The first day I was proven wrong—I was not only introduced to girls in different organizations, but also to girls who were in the same boat that I was. Whether you are a freshman, a sophomore or even a junior, entering the recruitment process and eventually joining Greek life will help you to build so many relationships that otherwise might not have been created. It may be overwhelming at first, but it is an opportunity you will not regret taking.
2. Philanthropy
Most people associate Greek life with heavy drinking, crazy partying, and all around unacceptable behavior. While being a member of a Greek organization will indeed provide you with fun-filled weekends, this is actually only a minor aspect of what it’s all about. During recruitment, you will learn what philanthropies each organization supports and how they actively participate in community service. As a member of Greek life, you will find yourself asking what can YOU do to help others, both locally and globally.
3. Support for Academic Success
In order to join Greek life and remain in it, an individual’s GPA must meet a specific criterion. The importance of maintaining a good GPA is expressed by the head of Greek life at TCNJ, and is clearly understood by the organization's members, who are constantly found studying on the third floor of the library. Not only do you have a solid network of individuals supporting your academic success, but you are also given access to endless knowledge concerning professors, classes, and course material. If you are struggling to grasp the information your professor presented in a specific course, there is a chance that one of your sisters or brothers has already taken that same class and can help you out—trust me, I know from experience.
4. Networking Opportunities
Being a member of Greek life is not only beneficial throughout your college years, but also after you graduate as well. (They aren't kidding when they say "It's not four years, but for life!") As a member of an organization, you are able to connect with alumni to seek guidance for help with resumes, internships, and job opportunities. This summer, I had an internship with the company of an alumni in my sorority— thanks for that opportunity, Delta Zeta!
5. Friendship
Tying back to No. 1, the relationships that you will form in Greek life will be beyond fulfilling. I’m not going to sit here and say to you that you will become best friends with each and every one of your sorority sisters or fraternity brothers, but I can promise you that some of the relationships you form will truly be life-long. As a member of Delta Zeta, I know that I have over 100 girls—sisters—that I can spend quality time with no matter where I am on campus. Delta Zeta has given me a place where I am absolutely comfortable being myself. Because of these girls, I've found my home at TCNJ. I've found my home in Delta Zeta.
People join Greek life for countless reasons; however, one thing that most have in common is that they have no regrets once going forward with recruitment. If you are on the fence about joining Greek life, attend organized events to have a better understanding of what it is really all about. I hope that you will be able to find a new home on campus among such unique Greek organizations, as I was able to. And I hope, at this point next year, you will be giving this same advice to somebody who is just as on the fence about Geek life as you once were.
