The house is the center of every sorority. It’s where meetings, meals, and pretty much everything else happens. Living in it can be quite an experience.
I spent the past year living in my sorority house. It was fabulous, and I definitely never regretted living there. When you're living with that many girls, though, there are always going to be a few problems.
Pro: Not having to walk to the house for chapter or other meetings. I know this makes me sound really lazy, but I can't tell you how much of a difference it can make. When I lived on Wertland, I felt like I spent an obnoxious amount of time making the trek to Rugby, a couple of times a week. Living in the house, I definitely wore heels to chapter a lot more frequently and picked my outfit without worrying about the weather.
Con: The bathroom situation. Don't get me wrong, our bathrooms were perfectly clean. It was a little annoying, however, to return to dorm-style bathrooms: communal showers, bathroom stalls, using a shower caddy, etc. The worst part was getting ready for date functions or other events – there were only so many outlets and mirrors.
Pro: Seeing sisters whenever they come to the house. Living in the house meant that I was able to see all of my sisters, not just the other residents, much more frequently. Whenever anyone stopped by the house to get dinner, meet with someone, or pick something up, I got to see them. It made me feel so much more connected to my sorority, and it was way easier to catch up with people outside of sorority events without having to plan to hang out with them.
Con: A million people coming in and out of the house. It was great seeing people, but it can get a little frustrating to have people constantly invading the place where you live. When dishes were left out or something was left in the living room, there was never any guarantee it was one of the residents.
Pro: Your closet instantly multiplies. My wardrobe most definitely benefitted. If I had an event or a job interview, I didn't have to go shopping. I just had to go across the hall. Can't find the right earrings for this top? It's okay. My roommate has some. Bored with my typical going out clothes? I'll just swap dresses for tonight with someone down the hall. Even when I was wearing my own clothes, I always had someone to approve my outfit or help me decide which shoes looked best. It's only a couple of weeks into summer, but I'm already really missing the expanded wardrobe.
Con: The black hole of the sorority house. The sorority house is one of the easiest places in the world to lose things. Especially because everyone owns identical srat gear. If you left a sweatshirt or a water bottle downstairs for more than a day or two, it is very possible that you will never see it again. I'm still grieving over my favorite blue sweatpants.
Pro: Automatic buddies for whatever you want to do. When you are living with over twenty people, it's not that difficult to find someone to join you, whether you're going out, studying, hitting the gym or just chilling on the couch. To some extent, that is also a benefit of being in a sorority, but even more so when you live with everyone.
Con: Not a ton of privacy. I consider myself a pretty social person, so this wasn't a huge issue for me. However, there were a few times when I just wanted to be somewhere I could guarantee I would be alone. There were usually times during the day when my roommates weren't home, so I did get some alone time, but I couldn't count on it. If I wanted to Skype my boyfriend or talk to my mom, I couldn't always find an empty room where I wouldn't be bothering anyone or forcing someone to listen to my conversation.
Pro: The meal plan. Sorority meal plans are the best thing, ever. I can count on one hand the number of times I had to cook this year. I went grocery shopping once a month and, even then, it was usually for a specific occasion or just to get one or two items. I'm not looking forward to next year and learning, all over again, how to feed myself.
Con: The distractions. The distractions in a sorority house are certainly considerable. During finals week, it was hard to justify working on a paper due in two days instead of watching John Tucker Must Die with everyone. Leaving that place could be impossible. There were several times I was late to something, simply because I got caught up talking to everyone as I was getting ready to leave.
Pro: Living with your sisters. At the end of the day, there is no experience quite like living with that many sorority sisters. I used to explain it to people by saying, "It's like living in the dorms, but you like everyone you're living with." Living together always makes people closer, and I loved having the opportunity to bond like that with so many of my sisters. It completely enhanced my Greek experience and made me feel so much more connected to each girl and to my chapter as a whole.
Living in the house is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. It has its downsides, but it was definitely worth it. It was one of my best years at UVA, and I'm sad the year is already over.
