I can already see the comments now. “But it’s such a great experience,” “you’ll make so many new and lifelong friends,” “sororities are nothing like what everyone says they are,” and so on. Trust me, I am well aware of all the reasons to join. I’ve seen the great and positive impacts sororities have had on sorority friends, and good for those girls who felt sororities were the right place for them and are happy there. But as the title of this article implies, this is why I personally will never join a sorority.
The costs.
Monthly dues. Clothing with letters. Any accessories with letters. Fees for events. Who knows what other costs exist that I’m not aware of. But as a broke college student, even with a job and living at home, shelling out a lot of money every month or so is not in my budget. To me, that is money better spent elsewhere, like on movies, phone bill, gas, food, and whatever other necessary expenses life throws my way.
The appearances you have to keep up.
Let’s be real, sorority girls can try to deny it, but there is definitely a certain image you have to keep up as a sorority girl. Sorority girls always look nice, always look put together, almost always have makeup on, and can usually be seen wearing their letters. And don’t forget about the appearances you have to keep up on social media. When I compare the social media of sorority girls versus non-sorority girls, the difference is typically pretty big.
Sorority girls have Instagram feeds filled with sorority-related pics--letters on their clothing, flashing a hand symbol, a different sister in each pic, captions with letters puns, and of course, the big smiles and picture-perfect look. Their Facebook pages usually have a sorority-related cover photo, posts about sorority events or fundraisers, and albums filled with pics from sorority events. Non-sorority girls have Instagram feeds with generally the same people, more natural smiles, less crazy captions than sorority letter puns, and pics from more general life events.
Their Facebook pages are filled with everything but Greek life. That’s not to say sorority girls aren’t actually friends with all the girls they pose with, or that they don’t share or are involved in anything non-sorority related. I praise and envy that those girls can make friends with so many people, that takes a certain talent or knack that I definitely don’t have.
And I’m definitely not shaming the girls who post like this. Your sorority and your sisters clearly make you happy, so share your love for it all you want. They are your memories, so commemorate them. But as someone who doesn’t have a picture perfect wardrobe is a major introvert, and isn’t accustomed to having a large social life, that kind of appearance would drain me more than acting normal every day.
The time commitment.
A serious congratulation to the girls who can attend classes, have a job and/or internship, get all their homework done, have a social life, and still, have time to make sorority meetings and events. I work and have an internship on top of a 4-5 class schedule and only just have enough time to do everything as is--there is no time in my schedule to add the sorority time commitments. But seriously, to the girls who do it all, a round of applause to you.
It wasn't necessary for my “ideal college experience.”
I had never gotten the appeal of sororities. When I was in high school, they seemed like a clique-y place for pretty and perfect girls only--and as an unconfident high school girl, that description didn’t feel like it applied to me. Even when I got to college, learned more about sororities, and gained confidence, I still didn’t feel all that compelled to join. Despite having friends who rushed or got into sororities, and a boyfriend in a fraternity at his college, none of it made me feel a necessity or desire to join. I’m going on my third year of college and still don’t feel any urges.
At the end of the day, sororities are definitely not for everyone. You don't have to be a certain type of person to join, but you do have to have a certain something in order to want to join--and I most likely don't have that something. Do I regret my decision not to join? Nope. Many girls do find their place in sororities and kudos to them, but that life was never for me. I have had a decent college experience without them, and I know that down the line I will still be able to say, “I didn’t join a sorority and I’m okay with that.”
Sheetal Tadiparty
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