Recruitment is such a busy time. Your meet and greets with each Sorority on campus are limited, everything is done super fast, and honestly, it's a bit stressful. The whole point of going through recruitment is to find your home - which means learning all about the Sorority and meeting the girls that are involved.
What you don't find out, though, is that being in a Sorority is A LOT more expensive than the dues you pay each term and A LOT more work than just going to meetings.
Here are 9 things I have learned about Sorority life, that nobody ever told me about when I joined.
1. You are constantly buying new outfits and spending money on Sorority related things.
Every time I turn around, there is something that I have to buy a new outfit for. Recruitment coming up? There's outfits for that. Formal season? It's prom part two baby and dresses aren't cheap. Required philanthropy event? Hope you have money in your account because you're being charged for a shirt.
Also, those cute Comfort Colors shirts that are designed for each event? Yeah, you gotta pay for those, too, and they aren't cheap either.
Oh, and one more thing - the pin. Those aren't free either, of course, and they are typically going to run you at least $50, depending on how fancy or how simple you want your pin to be.
2. You're probably not going to be friends with all of your sisters.
As much as I hate to say it, I'm not really that close with any of my sisters, and we are the founding pledge class. Going through recruitment, recruitment extensions, or continuous open bidding - however you join your Sorority, the people you meet when you are first rushing versus the people they become once they have been in the Sorority for a while are two totally different people.
You also have to take into account that it is virtually impossible to meet and get to know your 100+ sisters on a personal level.
3. Being in a sorority is a huge time commitment.
It's not just about going to weekly chapter meetings. Oh no. You'll have to go to required events like philanthropy dinners, alumni gatherings, other mandatory things, log weekly study hours and service hours, attend committee meetings, and so much more.
There is also sort of an unsaid expectation to be involved outside of your Sorority. So, you're going to have to have time devoted to club life, intramural sports, or campus ministries on top of your academic life and Sorority life.
Oh, and make sure you get a planner, you don't want to be fined if you miss something that is mandatory.
4. You have to maintain a high GPA.
Being a part of a Sorority is a lot more than it's stereotype. We are most certainly not a bunch of dumb blondes. Sororities pride themselves on the collective GPA of their Chapter, and if you don't meet their academic expectations, you're likely to be dropped.
5. If you bring a date to Semi or Formal, you're probably going to be paying for their ticket.
I mean, you don't just invite someone and then be like "oh lol by the way, the ticket is $20 you have to buy it if you want to go." It's kind of weird to make the guy pay just to be your date for the evening.
6. There are strict rules you must follow at all times.
Granted, the rules are understandable, and most of them are honestly common sense (or at least I would hope so). For example, it is imperative that you never advertise that you are drinking or have alcohol on your social media accounts if you are underage.
Rules are set in place by the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), your Sororities Headquarters, or your specific Chapter. They are there to help you look more professional and appealing to both potential new members and future employers.
7. There are many secrets about your Sorority that you must keep.
What happens at Chapter, stays at Chapter.
Anything that happens during your Sorority's business meetings is confidential. The events that lead up to Initiation, and especially Initiation itself is the most important secret to keep. There are also secret handshakes, knocks, songs, and other things that you must learn (and learn to keep between your sisters only) when you become an active member in a Sorority.
8. People are always watching you.
Whether it be your Sorority's Headquarters, your advisors, your sisters, potential new members, Fraternity guys, or potential employers... the list goes on. Everyone is constantly watching your social media accounts, as well as your personal behavior, which is why there are so many rules that you must follow as a Sorority girl.
It is imperative that you act your best and reflect your greatest self on your social media accounts - without being artificial, of course.
9. You'll have second thoughts, and you may even end up dropping.
It is completely normal to have second thoughts when you are accepted into a Sorority as a sister. It is a lifestyle adjustment, where you're entering a group of *basically* strangers that had a girl-best-friend type of crush on you during recruitment. It's awkward at first, but you will adapt, you will find your place, and you will find friends inside of your sisterhood.
It is also relatively common for girls to drop, and that is okay too. Sometimes, Sorority life just isn't what they think, or they decide that it no longer fits into their lifestyle. It is obviously very expensive as well and that's a huge contributor to girls dropping.
No matter what, you need to make sure that Sorority life is really for you before you even consider going through recruitment. Educate yourself on the different "ingredients" to the big ol' mix that is a Sorority.
You will quickly come to learn that it is wayyyyyy more than just socializing and going to occasional meetings, and Sorority girls during recruitment will likely paint it to be a much easier picture than what it, in fact, is.
