Many people go through fall rush as a freshman with the excitement of a puppy, but I didn't go through rush and I don't have the energy level of a puppy. I am what most people call a "fifth-year senior." I graduate in five months and in August of 2018, I decided to join a sorority. Here are a few reasons why.
1. It was a weird dream of mine.
Let's get real, every girl that is raised in the south knows that sorority life is practically a rite of passage. It is possibly the most common step in a college student's life. I've grown up seeing pictures of aunts, cousins, and family friends going through Bid Day, attending Formals, etc. So dreaming of possibly doing the same seemed like the normal thing to do. I wanted that sisterhood, that connection with others, the opportunity to be a part of philanthropy events, and so on.
2. I wanted more friends outside of my major.
I'm a theatre major and any theatre major can tell you that there are times that you get sucked into your major, and rightfully so since you're going to school with your future co-workers. But, for me, I needed to branch out and find more connections. I needed to find more friends outside of my major so that I could feel like a well-rounded person. Each of my current sorority sisters has taught or influenced me to be a better version of me in some way. And I could not ask for a better group of women to have a sisterhood with.
3. I transferred schools and didn't have time until now.
Not only am I a Senior, but I'm a fifth-year senior solely because I changed majors and transferred schools. My first school did not have Panhellenic sororities and my second school was a community college so it did not have Greek Life either. I transferred into OU Fall of 2017 and between orientation, sorting out my classes, stage managing a show, and getting acquainted with the new department, I did not see myself having any time for a sorority or at least not enough for me to justify joining. But now, I have my bearings with the department, I've figured out my classes, and I'm so glad I sorted out my life enough to join.
4. I wanted to be more involved.
At the school I transferred from, I was involved in every production the theatre department put on. I was also president of an honor society so I was consistently busy. Not having that element of purpose mixed with business made me very depressed. I was only going from classes, to work, to my apartment. I wasn't involved in my department nor was I truly interested in my work. After joining my sorority, I found myself wanting to achieve in school and at work to better the sorority as a whole. I found myself wanting to join other groups on campus and attending more on-campus events. I found myself knowing more people that would actually help me when I get depressed.
