Joining Greek Life on your college’s campus can be a great way to get involved at school and create lifelong friendships. Philanthropy events, parties, and cute clothes are just some of the perks to joining a sorority. Don’t forget the never ending, adorable pictures that you and your sisters take.

Although this may all sound appealing to most people, I never found myself longing to be a part of this community at my university. They say Greek Life is suitable for everyone; you just have to find the right home. But what if belonging to a sisterhood just wasn’t the path I wanted to take? These are the reasons I decided Greek Life wasn’t the life for me:

1. Social Sororities Are Expensive

This is probably a no-brainer for most people, but being part of a sorority costs more than you’d think. First-year members can spend up to nearly $1,000 on sorority dues alone. Of course, that all depends on where you go to school and which sorority you rush, but I’m not all that eager to put such a big dent in my bank account. There is no obligation to purchase clothing or miscellaneous items with your letters on it, but it sure would be tempting too. There are also philanthropy events that could require payments for supplies, decorations, and additional promotional clothing. This all adds up eventually, and while it might be worth it to most girls, I’m not that willing to spend so much of my hard-earned dough.

2. There Are Many Other Ways To Get Involved

While Greek Life isn’t a major time commitment and allows freedom for its members to get involved outside of their house, most campuses have dozens upon dozens of other clubs, teams, and committees to join. I, personally, have found that the other organizations and groups I have become a part of have fulfilled all of my social needs and expectations. College campuses are tailored to their students, and there truly is something for every single person. Greek Life is an exciting way to be social and get involved, but who said it’s the only way?

3. Recruitment seems like a nightmare

Hear me out on this one…Most of us have seen the videos of sorority girls all stuffed in one doorway while chanting about their house, and while those are real (and slightly terrifying), that isn’t why recruitment scares me. Many of my friends went through recruitment their freshman year, and it was truly a week-long excursion: visiting every single house on campus over many days, attending multiple meetings, having to get ready to look your best and make a good impression each day, narrowing down the houses you like, and finally hoping you get the bid you want. This all sounds incredibly stressful and in all honesty, completely unappealing for a full-time student who needs to focus on classes and any other outside commitments. It all may be worth it to some people, but not everyone.

4. The party scene isn't for me

Of course, partying isn’t the main point of being in Greek Life (although it may be a big part of it). While there is no obligation to go out, many people jump on the chance to hit up a party when it’s presented. It definitely sounds fun to get ready and head to a frat with your sisters to party all night long, but to me, spending the night with friends while watching corny movies and eating our lives away sounds equally as fun. Don’t get me wrong; a night out is much-needed sometimes. I would just rather hang out with some good people while eating some good food in the comfort of my own room.

5. You aren’t completely excluded from Greek Life events

Choosing to not be a part of a social sorority doesn’t totally count you out of Greek Life: Frats have open parties, Greek Life hosts philanthropy events open to anyone and everyone, and your friends who do belong to houses aren’t at all M.I.A. when it comes to spending time with them. While I might not have any letters on my chest, my friends who do have come to me with open arms to join them in their communities.

6. Door chants are scary

Alright, cue the eye rolls, but I cannot imagine standing in front of hundreds of girls happily yelling about their house while stacking on each other from floor to ceiling. It’s a bit terrifying to me and honestly, makes me nervous to even go near one of those houses during recruitment.

7. Privacy doesn’t exist in a sorority house

Although living in a house isn’t always a requirement for sororities, most encourage (and sometimes force) their returning members to live in their big, beautiful home on campus. I know many girls who see this as a dream come true, being able to live with your best friends in an awesome living space. My only issue is that this doesn’t allow a lot of alone time or seclusion from the rest of the ladies living with you. It’s good to have personal time to yourself, but it’s unfortunate that there is little privacy to be found, even in the comfort of your own home.

8. There is a significant time commitment

Based on what friends and peers have shared with me, a lot of work goes into being a member of Greek Life. Most houses encourage involvement in other activities and groups, but they don’t always allow a lot of time to do so. This isn’t necessarily an issue if you are fully dedicated to your chapter, but lots of people want to explore and try new things in college, not just stick to one thing. There are dozens of people who have told me they missed out on social events or fell behind in school due to sorority commitments. Of course, there are teams and clubs that can be equally as time-consuming, but knowing that Greek Life takes up large chunks of time right off the bat makes it difficult to want to join.

9. Greek Life goes beyond social sororities

Social sororities and fraternities have become the poster children for Greek Life on college campuses, but who said that’s all there is? Greek Life is endless and there is sure to be a home for everyone. Many schools have sororities and fraternities that belong to certain majors or hobbies like music, theatre, and service. These are much less expensive options which also cater to your schedule and are more flexible with commitment. If you are hesitant about rushing a social sorority or fraternity, the low-key chapters are sometimes the perfect option to fill time and support your hobbies and interests.

So while there are countless reasons to join Greek Life, I have found that being in a social sorority just isn't what I'm meant to do. If you still aren't quite sure if you want to get involved in this community on your college's campus, do lots of research and create your own opinions on what rushing would mean to you. It isn't for me, but that doesn't mean it isn't for everyone.