Joining a new sorority on campus (Advice)
 

Hi! So here's my story (Sorry for Length, lol, if you want you can just skip to the questions):

I'm a freshman at UNLV and I recently went through formal recruitment at my university. however my story as to why I'm not in sorority right now is a little different. There are 6 (soon to be 7) sororities at UNLV and because of work, I had to miss some of recruitment. On the first day I only got to see 4 of the 7 sororities. I still ranked the 4 I saw but I was kinda hesitant because I knew I was missing some.

The next day of recruitment, I only got called back to 2 sororities. Ironically, one of the 2 I got called back for was one I didn't get to go to the first night, but I thought whatever and just went with it. The other one I got called back for was one I really liked and was my favorite.

Preference day, I only got called back to one and ironically it wasn't the one I wanted. I still went to the other sororities ceremony but I felt deep down that I knew this group wasn't right for me. So with that in mind, I made the hard decision to drop out right before Bid Day. I don't know if this should be noted but the sorority did offer me a bid after I dropped out, but I still politely declined the bid (No point in taking away something from another girl who may really want it)

I really wanted to be in a sorority but it just didn't feel right to kinda settle and just join one so I could be in a sorority. I felt bad that I missed the other 3 because of work, and just thought I should wait until sophomore year.

However, I found another option: Tri- Sigma is coming to my campus this fall and I was thinking maybe this is the right path for me. I read the history of the chapter and it seems really interesting. I like what the group stands for and think it might be kinda cool to be one of the first tri- sigma women on my campus.

So with that I have a few questions:

- What's it like to be in a brand new sorority? How does it usually work?
- Should I wait until sophomore year and give the other sororities another chance? (But with this I'm kinda thinking: If the sororities I went to didn't want me as I am now what's gonna change their minds about me in the future?)
-What are the basic pro's and con's about joining a new sorority?
- When I went to their booth to get more information they told me they want to get about 150 women: How are they planning on doing this? It seems like a lot of girls, imo?

Thank you so much for answering! I really appreciate it!

There are a million threads here about colonies. Go do some reading and come back to us with questions after that.

Did you sign a bid card before you dropped out of recruitment? If you did, then you are not eligible to join any other sorority for one calendar year. If you did not sign, then you are eligible to pursue the colony. However, do not assume that joining a colony is easier than joining an established sorority. While current sororities look for women whom they can "groom" to be leaders for the sorority in the future. colonies are looking for women who are ready to step into leadership positions immediately. It is A LOT of work being in a colony, as you have to meet many requirements to order to become installed as a chapter. Also, colonies are not always successful and sometimes close down without ever being established, so there are not guarantees.

^^Tri Sigma is colonizing next Fall. It doesn't matter whether she signed a bid card this year.

Nope, they are colonizing now. http://www.facebook.com/SigmaSigmaSi...ref=ts&fref=ts
This is their FB page. To the OP, if they want 150 women for the colony, they'll get 150 women. Colony recruitment works very differently than regular recruitment. They will be looking for women of all years to fill the colony, not just freshmen, so women who missed out their freshman year have a unique opportunity. It is different in that you are building traditions for the chapter instead of walking into pre-packaged traditions. You don't have a big sister, but the organization usually has an alternative for the colony class. You have to work hard to set up the structure of the new group and get to know 150 new people, bc unlike in an established chapter, no one knows each other. With that being said, it can be very rewarding and only a few women get to be colonizing sisters. Read a few threads here. It's not for everyone.

Oops, I read that totally wrong. Somewhere I thought she said "next fall".

ETA: Actually, I read "this Fall" as Fall 2013 since it seems late in the school year to start a colony.

Thanks for all The replys, I wasn't expecting to get anything this fast. I was planning on going to the Tri-Sigma meeting and such. I thought of another question: On average, how long does it take a colony to be come an established chapter?

There is no "average". Each situation and colonization is unique.

You said that you dropped out "right before Bid Day". What did you actually DO to "drop out"? You haven't answered the question about whether or not you signed a bid card... that is really critical. If you signed a bid card after Pref, then you are not eligible to rush again until Fall of 2013 even if you rejected the bid that you were offered.

I never signed a bid card. I dropped out on pref night which was the day before Bid Day. I told my Rho Gamma my decision right after I got back from one of the sororities preference ceremony. Part of the reason why I dropped was because I didn't get to go all the sororities on the first day because I had to work, also I didn't get one of the sororities I really wanted. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision before making such a big commitment so I felt it would be better to drop out now before I got myself into something I wouldn't be happy with.

This is something to address with Tri Sigma.

As you didn't sign a bid card during formal recruitment this fall, you are eligible to be considered for membership in the colony, or any chapters on your campus holding COB (informal recruitment; not every chapter will participate, so contact the office of Greek Life if you are interested).

Go to the interest meeting for Tri-Sigma. Your questions will all be answered there. Keep us posted and good luck!

I was in the colonizing class of Delta Gamma at North Carolina State University 10 years ago. It was an amazing experience. I never went through formal recruitment - just the colony recruitment. The new member period for a colony is very similar (time wise) as for a regular new member class -- We were a colony for about 8 weeks before getting our charter.

It is tough though...getting to know so many new women...finding how to work together and learning each member's strengths and weaknesses...establishing who you want to be on campus.

The other sororities are always very positive and welcoming, but there is always a slight stima since you are the "new girls" -- though it quickly goes away once you prove how awesome you are! :p

I had an awesome colony experience and my membership in DG has changed my life in a very positive way.

I'd definitely at least go to the info session to learn more!

Thank you so much! The FAQ really helped a lot. I'm so excited for the oppourtunity and I'm just hoping that everything goes well!

Those circumstances still exist since you still haven't gone to all the sororities and you didn't get the one you really wanted. What makes going to a colony different? Is it because they aren't the low tier sorority that wanted you in formal?

I know. I was looking into the colony because I was thinking that maybe it wasn't right for me to join the other sororities. I still feel bad I missed 3. That's why I'm think I might still wait until sophomore year and re-rush. I was simply curious about the new colony and wanted to know more about how it works.

Just go and check it out. Almost nobody has a perfect rush where they get to make all the decisions, so not feeling like you got a sufficient introduction to all the chapters is really common. You have to make some decisions in life based on only partial information. If it feels like a good choice for you, then go for it. Don't hedge based on what might be out there in the future. Potential and actual outcome are not the same thing and nobody can tell you if you waited for rush next year that your outcome would be any different.

Good luck!

It's a little beyond that. She didn't go to the parties of three sororities. Honestly, I would check out the colony and if it "clicks" then go for it, but you might be better off going through formal rush again and going to all the groups.

This might be a dumb question.... But recruitment is scheduled WAY in advance. I understand sports practice or something, but why does it seemso hard for people to ask off from work in advance? Every job I've ever had was pretty good about scheduling around requested days off if they were given notice adequately ahead of time.

Because some people don't make up their minds to rush until the last minute. And when I was in college, even as a sorority member, employers gave me a very hard time about taking time off for recruitment. I ended up having to quit a job. It was a part time job, and very easy to find another; whereas I could not afford the fines that would have been imposed if I missed recruitment. I think everyone's experience is different, and I'm glad you were able to get time off easily!

And 18 year olds are not known as a group to be the best time-managers. You would have to think ahead on this, maybe even 2 or more weeks, to get it resolved at work and that's something a lot of kids (not necessarily the OP) are just not prepared to think about.

What everyone said is true, I only signed up for rush about 2 weeks before and I couldn't take off time from work because I'm new to my job and I haven't built up enough sick time yet. I can only call in for emergencies right now. Also I needed to go to work to be able to pay for a lot of stuff including the sorority so I felt missing wouldn't be an option.

My rho gamma assured me that missing because of work wouldn't be that bad and that if I had to miss a day it should be the day we met all the sororities. She told me preference night was the most important so I was planning on calling in that day.

Joining a colony, from my observations, seems to require more time than joining an already established chapter. Now that you're more settled into your job, KSUViolet is right, you need to make damn sure you have the ability to take/request days off for mandatory colony meetings and events.

And that is why you ask off in advance when you know you have something going on that you would like to attend, NOT call in at the last minute so other people have to cover your work. By asking off in advance you at least give your managers the ability to see if things can be shuffled around to cover you being gone - or if the schedule hasn't been posted yet, change around days off and such before others have made plans for their days off. Members of colonies have many things going on, most known in advance some a bit at the last minute because they couldn't be planned in advance. IF you get a bid you may have to take the calendar in to your managers and go over it with them so arrangements can be made (and mention the mandatory versus optional events).

O.k, well at least now I'll know what to do in the future. Like I said, I'm new to the job and I don't know exactly how things work yet