The stereotypes that surround Greek life are endless, and some of them are even true. I don't mean to say that they are all accurate by any means, but being open to finding out what these organizations are, is what taught me that you can't judge this kind of book by its cover.
Every sorority is different from one another and when you go through recruitment you learn that very quickly. You may start off the week with one chapter in mind but by the end you could have a completely new mindset. The people you meet, the things you learn and the impressions you get can shape your opinion in unexpected ways.
I went through recruitment because the girls that I had become friends with in my dorm were all going through. I thought, "If it works out, great. If not, oh well, you can't lose what you never had."
Now if you were to ask me why someone should go Greek, I could give you a hundred reasons.
Recruitment is a whirlwind of meeting new people and learning as much as possible about a chapter in a small amount of time. On the other side of this, it is a short time to show these women who you are and why or why not you would be a good fit for their chapter. The members recruiting you are just as nervous as you are, if not more. It is their job to get a feel for what kind of person you are and to see how your experiences and interests compare to those of their organizations.
On a more relaxed note, something that is so important to consider is how you mesh with their personalities. Aside from everything that you are learning, if you don’t see your self hanging out at the house with no make up on how can you expect to have life long friendships with them?
Not everyone you meet will be your best friend but you will meet some women that you couldn’t imagine life with out. You also have to keep in mind that you were all chosen to be apart of the same organization because you share qualities that uphold the sorority’s values. So, just because you may not like someone right off the bat, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a great person that you could eventually be friends with.
You will be presented with many opportunities to meet new people and how you take advantage of those opportunities will have a huge impact on how positive your time in Greek Life can be.
Aside from the social aspect of Greek life, you will also be subjected to several leadership and volunteer opportunities. Not only will you dedicate time to your own organization's philanthropy but you will have ample opportunities to volunteer and fundraise for many other causes.
If there is one thing you learn to handle while in a sorority, it's time management. If balancing school, work, and an outside organization is not something you think you can handle, you should probably factor this into your decision on if you should join. On the other hand, if you think you can handle it, then dive in head first.
In addition to the volunteer work, the leadership and job opportunities are also readily available as well. Any leadership position can look great on your resume and even help to prepare you for a future career.
Despite what you may think you know about being in a sorority, you probably will be shocked at what it's actually like. We definitely have fun but it's about so much more than you realize. You get to meet people that will impact your life so much, and somewhere along the line you will make a difference in someone, whether you know it or not.
The women in my sorority have taught me so much already, and I am only half way through.
