While you are going through recruitment as a PNM, you spend a lot of time on the front lawns of sorority houses. Looking up at the massive, articulately decorated houses, you wonder what it’s like to live there, what it’s like to live with 50 girls, how it feels to live in a house that size, how nice it must be to have someone cook and clean for you.
When you ask one of the sisters during recruitment what it’s like to live in, I’m sure you heard something along the lines of, “It’s great! You have, like, 50 closets to choose from!” But what they don’t tell you is that living in your sorority house gives you some of the best memories that will come from your time spent as an active member in your sorority. It’s in that house where you will grow close to girls you never thought you would be close to. You will always have a shoulder to cry on or share a good laugh and yes, you will have access to numerous closets.
What most people don’t realize when they are living in their sorority house is that it’s preparing them for their future. By that, I mean, you will live with about 50 girls who all have different personalities, just like your future co-workers, and you must learn to live with those various personalities. You may share certain similarities and have the same values as your housemates, but your personalities are not identical. There will be girls who are messy and neat freaks, stay up until all hours of the night or go to bed at 10 p.m. Some will be loud and distracting people, others who get disturbed easily. Although it can be frustrating at times, learning to live with so many different people is very rewarding. You learn patience and negotiation – something that is vital to having and keeping a career once you enter the workforce.
You will also get to know your sisters on a better level. When you are part of a large chapter, it can be hard to get to know everyone. People split off into their friend groups or some girls don’t come out to socials very often. While living in, you get to know some of the people you might otherwise not have the opportunity to get close with. Living in is also a great way to mix pledge classes. I made some of my closest friends while living in my sorority house and they are in the pledge class above mine. A casual conversation in one of the bathrooms every morning turned into a great friendship with one of the girls who lived down the hall from me.
As you might have guessed, living with your best friends is definitely one of the best perks about living in. Whether you sleep in a dormer or have your own room, getting to spend every night with your best friends is something to cherish. I shared a room with two of my best friends, and although our triple was small and we had limited closet space, we made the most of it because we loved living together so much.
If you ever need someone to partake in a Netflix binge with you, there’s someone to do that. If you need help picking out outfits for the next day (even though you’re only going to class), there’s someone to do that. What I miss the most about living with my two roommates in my sorority house are the nightly conversations we would have while laying in bed. The laughs and the bonding that occurred between us each night is something that will always be a happy memory.
While living in a sorority mansion with chefs and a cleaning staff may be ideal, those privileges are minuscule when it comes to what you really get out of living in your sorority house. Yes, you will get to share countless going-out outfits, but one of the most important things you will share are the friendships. I chose to view living in my sorority house in a positive light. I gained so many real-world benefits and skills, while growing close to the people whom I share something so important with: sisterhood.
