If You're Thinking About Joining Greek Life, Don't Overlook Professional Sororities
It isn't just about not living in a house with 60 girls.
There is a pressure on college campuses to join the Greek system on campus, and that pressure is there for a good reason. Being involved in organizations like sororities can help you push your comfort zones, grow as a young adult, and meet so many people who help you become a better person in the end. The problem with this pressure is that it makes trying to find an organization feels like it is a one size fit all type of situation — that you must participate in formal recruitment, want the most popular sorority, and you run around in heels on campus to your new home on Bid Day.
I am going to say this one and make this clear: there is nothing wrong with wanting to participate in formal recruitment. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be involved in a social sorority. There is also nothing wrong if you don't want to be involved in that type of organization. In the end, it is your choice with what you do in your college career. My thing about wanting to join a sorority is that there are different types of sororities for a reason, not everyone wants to do the same thing. If you are on the fence about the idea of joining a social sorority, look into organizations on your campus that might not fit that typical mold.
For me, the idea of joining a social sorority didn't seem like the right fit for me, but I still wanted to be involved with an organization on campus full of driven young women. I wanted to be surrounded by people are different than me, but in the end, have very similar core values in life. I found an organization that worked for me: Sigma Alpha is a national professional agricultural sorority.
Being a part of this organization though has taught me about how some people perceive my sorority. "Redneck," "not a real sorority," and "I've never even heard of you before" are common things I hear when I talk about my sorority to those outside of my group. Even though Sigma Alpha is a professional sorority and we don't have a house, we are part of the Greek and Panhellenic system on our campus. Yes, we are different than social sororities, but we still have similarities that cannot be overlooked. We as an organization are filled with passionate young women wanting to make a difference in the world, we have fun, and we love our organization. No matter if you are a social or professional sorority, that is who you are at the foundation level.
I'm not saying that one type of sorority is better than the other—what I'm saying is that there are types of sororities that are better for you as an individual. You can't do everything your best friend does, and you need to be independent enough to know what you want. This is a personal decision, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about that
My biggest piece of advice if you are considering joining a sorority, do your research about several sororities that align with your values and overall feels like the right fit for you. I understand that getting into these organizations are competitive, and you may not get accepted in your dream one, but having ideas of what you like and don't like will help you through the journey.
