Maybe you're like me and have known since the time you could walk that you wanted to be in a sorority. Or maybe you're among the vast majority of freshmen women and just aren't sure if Greek life is for you. Before signing up for recruitment, you should really think about your motives for wanting to join a sorority. Making a pro's and con's list of the reasons to join a sorority might be extremely helpful.
If on your pro's list you listed reasons such as philanthropy, sisterhood, service, academics or community, then you have the right idea. If you listed reasons such as frat guys, drinking, partying, being promiscuous or wanting to "be top tier," then you might want to pass on recruitment.
Of course social life is a huge part of being in a social sorority, but it is about so much more than that. Being in a sorority means you are part of something bigger than yourself. After receiving a bid, you are instantly connected to hundreds of thousands of women who share your letters. Dating back to over 100 years ago, women have shared the same values all across the country. When our sororities were founded in the 1800s, do you think that the founders envisioned a bunch of drunk 20-year-olds grouped together because they joined the same sorority? No. I like to think that the founders had a vision of sisterhood - whether that means driving a sister to the doctor when she gets sick, tutoring a sister before a big midterm or just staying up all night talking about each others lives.
The media has painted this horrible picture that joining a sorority means partying and sleeping with frat boys. In reality though, a sorority teaches you how to become a better leader. It teaches you how to manage your time. It teaches you that sometimes you have to do things you don't necessarily want to do because it benefits the greater good. I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience in a sorority, but I truly believe that I can say that because I came into recruitment with the right idea about my expectations.
If you decide to go through recruitment, you will find your home. No matter what house you join. Every chapter on campus is a great place to call home, but you might not feel like that if you are only looking for a group of girls to get drunk with every night. If you are looking for sisterhood, leadership and service, you really can't go wrong with any sorority here. Trust your gut and always go back to your core values.
