Dropping out of sorority to go to another school for a year
 

So I am a freshman this year and I just got initiated this past semester into a sorority at my current school, ABC. I am planning on switching to another school next semester, XYZ, and rushing there while I get some of my core classes done with for my major. Once I do that, however, I am planning on moving back to the school I am currently at now, ABC. So that would be my junior year of college. I was wondering what would happen if I join another sorority next year at XYZ and then come back to the school I left for a year, ABC. Would I be able to go through recruitment in the FALL again or would I have to re-join the sorority I left?

QFP

Ok, the morning paper hasn't come, so I'll bite....

If you are talking NPC sororities, then NO. If you were initiated into an NPC sorority, then it is for life, as in a life time membership. You can join a greek letter club, a local sorority, perhaps a faith based local depending on their rules at your new campus, but the ship has sailed for national panhellenic conference sororities. It's one and done for them, no matter how inconvenient it might be for you.

Nationals, are you listening? This what we get with "fast food" 6 week pledge periods. Drive through members.

I like the analogy. I'm hoping the OP is simply an anomaly, and that the overwhelming majority of initiates actually understand the lifetime nature of their vows of loyalty.

I truly hope this is the case as you noted above.

But honestly in general, why would anyone want to put themselves through that again. If I'm reading the OP post correctly they're leaving for a year and then coming back to their original school (mind you can't find my glasses right now). Recruitment is a lot of work in my opinion, and then the new member period as well, getting to know people building those friendships (mind you I'm an introvert) to me why would you want to be a part of a GLO that badly for such a short period of time.

I hope the OP is messing with us otherwise this might win the prize for oddest post of the new year.

If you have been initiated into an NPC sorority, you cannot join another. The first thing you should do is talk to one of your chapter officers or an advisor about your situation. Hopefully, what will happen is the year you are studying at the other university, it will be treated as if you are studying abroad or on an internship, and given some sort of inactive status. Then when you go back for your junior year, you will return to your sorority.

If the other university also has a chapter of your sorority, you could look into affiliating with them. Each organization has their own policy on this, so, again, officers/advisors would be your best bet.

In summary, assuming we are talking about NPC sororities here, NO, you are not going to go through recruitment an additional two more times in your college career. Even if you decide you like the other school better and decide to remain there for the last 2 years, you would become an alumna of the group where you have been initiated (or affiliated with the chapter there, if that is an option).

To the OP:

Are. You. INSANE?

I can't even begin to attempt to take a stab at guessing what your new member period was like (or your subsequent membership after being initiated). Your post made my head hurt.

Katmandu's comments FTW. "drive through members" sums it up perfectly.

OP, this advice is spot on.

Not only that...

When people do stuff like this, it's usually to save some money and usually going to a smaller school near home. OP - if this is your situation, the Greek systems at ABC and XYZ are going to be very different and you may not even enjoy the system at XYZ. Not only that...if you're going to a school near home, most likely a handful of your high school classmates will be there, and you'll be MEGA busted.

I could be all wet,.but a lot of people around here do this to make a Penn State degree more affordable.

To answer the question above, I believe we are probably looking at this through the lens of how our pledge periods were 20+ years ago (32 years ago in my case). There's no way I would go through a pledge period again just one year later. But, and this may be my old lady'ness getting in the way, but it seems "new member" periods are one big month and a half of gifts and crying over how awesome they are. Why NOT go through all the undying love and affection over and over again. Well, except for the pesky rule where you can't.

Maybe, but who would want to willingly go through rush and the worry of getting a bid/the bid you want, three times?!? Don't get me wrong, I had a blast, but I sure wouldn't want to do it over again.

Someone who isn't happy with the group she initiated into. Her phrasing suggests (to me, at least) that she wants to be in a different sorority than the one she's in. In my experience, people who are happy with their sorority don't use the phrase, "would I have to re-join the sorority I left."

OR she could have had a great recruitment and love her sorority, and she wants to continue to enjoy those experiences at her temporary school.

No need to judge somebody who just posted a few sentences. A little gentle reinforcement of her Greek education should be enough, until we learn more about the situation.:)