Moving out of your house and going to college is obviously a huge move for everyone. I feel like this process is much more difficult for girls. Girls tend to over-think things and have a harder time making friends and feeling comfortable in their own skin. I know for me, joining a sorority my freshman year of college truly helped me in the process of finding myself and others just like me!
The stereotypical sorority girls always has a bad reputation. They're stupid, they drink a lot, and they are always looking for attention from all the boys on campus. I thought this too when I was first going to college and could never see myself actually joining a sorority and enjoying it. All my friends joined a sorority before me and I thought they were all crazy. I would have never pictured myself in something like this.
Since all of my friends joined, I felt a little bit left out so I decided to go through informal recruitment in the spring of my freshman year. I ended up loving it and my best friends ended up being my sisters!
While being in a sorority, I have created long-term friendships that I am so grateful to have. I met people just like me and I feel like I can always be myself around them no matter what we are doing or where we are. My sisters act as mentors to me as well. I always have access to someone that can help and share their ideas with me. They always show me the ropes when I need help. I also have some of them in each of my classes so I always have someone to sit by and help me when I need some direction.
A sorority also provides great networking opportunities. Everywhere I go, I know someone there and we can bond over a situation that we both know about. Personally, I just went to a job interview and I was wearing my sorority badge on my suit jacket. My interviewer asked me about sorority and what I was getting out of it. I told him I have met really awesome people and it helps me get involved on and off campus.
One of the people in the company I was interviewing for, was actually in my sorority and we ended up being sisters. It was a very neat way to make conversation and meet people just in a job interview! It made me feel more comfortable and it made me feel better about getting the job!
Lastly, being in a sorority and making all these new friends really gave me a new sense of confidence. Fitting in and discovering this sense of belonging, really gave me a new level of self-esteem. This improvement in self-confidence is an attractive benefit, especially for nervous and insecure incoming freshman.
