If you are a soon-to-be college student or you have an interest in joining Greek life, then you have come to the right place. The stigma surrounding sorority culture can be misleading and you can bet that I did all the research and rush vlog-searching on YouTube before I went through recruitment on my own. Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive coming into rush week at school. I left home much earlier than the rest than the rest of my friends to move in and begin rushing prior to school starting and the swirls of emotions were enough to cause a storm. Would I get my favorite house, would I make the right choice? Do I even want to be in one? A million questions filled my mind in that busy week of house-hopping, but in the end, everything worked out in the best way possible.
I am now a member of my dream sorority at Iowa State University and I am so grateful for the experiences and people that I have been blessed with since I joined in mid-August. Let me give you a few reasons why I feel that my chapter has aided in giving me a wonderful first year as a college student, and why this community is well worth a chance.
Support
Entering college is like venturing into a new world. You have to adapt to a new sort of culture, you meet new people every single day, and you are starting completely anew. You can reinvent yourself if you want, or you can build upon your character to make strides into becoming your best self. But something you need in the process is support, and that is something that I am grateful to have received from the strong community within my sorority. You will meet girls who admire your crazy dreams and will back you in your pursuits to achieve them, and even girls who you will look up to as role models. Succeeding in college takes a lot of determination and a strong backbone, so who better than a group of supportive women to help you see your aspirations through?
Encouragement
One of my main criteria in joining a sorority, which I reiterated to every girl that I spoke with in the countless houses during rush week, was that I wanted to join a sorority that had many fashion majors within it. I want to be pushed to be better everyday by the women surrounding me and the successes that I see them achieving, and my chapter just so happened to be exactly that. I am constantly motivated and encouraged by the girls in my house who are involved in their majors and making names for themselves within the community. This was also important to me for future connections, as many alumni are employers in my area of study or people who have connections (and in the fashion industry, it's not about what you know, but who you know). All in all, you can gain a wonderful sense of encouragement in joining a chapter with girls who have similar ambitions because of their examples and ability to open up new opportunities.
Friendship
The most important aspect that I have found through Greek life is the friendships that I have acquired along the way. I have a strongly-knit group of friends at home, and I wanted to find relationships at school that are just as genuine. Luckily, I was able to find just that. Not only did I find my friends after getting a bid, but throughout the rush experience as well. One of my best friends at school was a girl I met in line to go into a house that neither of us are in now, nor are we in the same chapter, yet if it were not for the recruitment process, we may have never met. Starting anew in college may be daunting, but joining a sorority or even just giving the recruitment process a chance is a great way to meet people and maybe even make friendships that will last a lifetime.
Having a strong group of women to back you for all of your college days and beyond is a feeling unlike any other and a true bond between your peers. If you have even the slightest interest in exploring what a sorority has to offer, I highly encourage that you do so. You may just meet your best friend(s), future bridesmaids or future coworkers. The possibilities are endless and so rewarding in the end. They will be your home away from home, your family in your blood's absence. So give it a try... you may just find your sisters.
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn
