Why did you decide to join a sorority?

[DeltAlum]

May I just offer congratulations to all who have responded in this thread?

I expected it to turn into the usual, "This has been discussed 34,358 times, you're an idiot and this is a really shallow question."

The fact is, that, to me, it seems like an honest question from someone with little or no knowledge of the Greek System and less knowledge of GC.

Thanks to you all.

Just to add, my wife was the "(very) pretty and (very) smart girl" in high school who was disliked by the "in crowd" but still was prom queen, valdictorian, etc. She was even pushed into a muddy creek at their senior picnic.

She still has emotional scars from that treatment, but had an outstanding college experience. She did not pledge, (but did rush for the experience and was given bids by Pi Phi and Chi O -- can you get bids from two groups these days?) but the reason was because her mom apparantely had a bad sorority experience and her parents said they would cut off all financial support if she joined a GLO.

I suppose the moral, if there is one, has been stated above. High school people can be cruel, but some (most) do change. Put it behind you.

Good luck.

[Tom Earp]

Please remember, it is not just Sororities but Fraternities that go through this process!

As DeltaAlum has said, each School/Chapter is different and one must remember that!

I have not ever found a bad GLO as I have worked or been in contact with many!

We all have a common cause!

[minDyG]

You sound a lot like me as an incoming freshman. If you want you can PM me for some unbiased perspective.

[Soror Peace]

Jelly,
I commend you on asking the question and I hope all have given you both insight and information to aid in your journey.

Because I am Active Duty Military and always on the move at a moment's notice to protect our country, I could not find a sorority to fit my schedule (nor school for that matter).

So instead, I was part of an Illustrious Group who founded the first and only Military Sorority (Sigma Phi Psi). End result: Different is good and we are able to fulfull the dreams of military females who too have been too busy to serve our country to maintain school and another sorority.

This is just something else to add to your information base for others to know.

Enjoy the journey!

[adpiucf]

To the OP:

Sororities are not for everyone-- hence mutual membership selection, but they are diverse social and service organizations that vary in reputation from school to school. A chapter of one sorority at State U may be very different in its membership at its chapter of ABC College.

Have these "popular" girls in your high school already received sorority bids? I gather that as of the date of your post and seeing that there are no sororities that conduct summertime membership selection, these girls are only preparing to go through recruitment. There is no guarantee that they will all be invited to membership in any sorority. Are they all going to the same school? Are you going to this school, too?

It may be that some of these girls want to join a sorority to continue feeling popular or to boost their confidence. Others may have other reasons: new friends, social life, service opportunities, leadership experience, alumnae networking, fitting in a new place far away from home.

Regarding moral values, every sorority I know has a moral code of conduct that members must follow, and a standards and ethics committee to ensure it is being followed. If these women are of low moral values, suffice to say, their reputations may precede them at recruitment. This kind of behavior can certainly prevent a woman from being invited to membership in a sorority, and can cause her membership to be canceled if she is a member.

The relationship between fraternities and sororities is social. The groups arrange mixers and service projects to allow the members to get to know one another. There is no formal relationship between the organizations, however, and as a member you are free to socialize with anyone you choose, Greek or not Greek.

As far as drunk guys go... if you're at a party, guys may hit on you. It's what guys do... They don't necessarily have to be in a fraternity nor drunk to do so. How you handle them is certainly up to you. Alcohol and parties are not exclusive to the Greek system-- you will attend many social events in college that have nothing to do with Greeks, I'd imagine.

[33girl]

There were some girls from my high school who were total witches who joined sororities. They were at different colleges so it really didn't matter.

There were 3 girls from my high school at my college who were not witches, but as you said, concerned with being popular. 2 joined one group (the "most popular" one) and the other joined a different one. None of them joined my group. One time the third girl made a crack about me being geeky in high school to a fraternity guy who happened to be a good friend of mine (and who also was slightly scary if you didn't know him well). He proceeded to rip her a new one. It was awesome .

So the moral of the story is...unless you're going to college with everyone from your high school....don't worry about it. A lot of times the people who have been coasting off the "popular" image they attained in 7th grade get a VERY rude awakening when they get to college.

Oh, and drunk guys will hit on you EVERYWHERE at college - Greek or not - if you don't like the idea of that, either 1) don't go to a coed college or 2) don't go to parties.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by DaffyKD

You sound like my story. I was the most unpopular girl in the entire high school. My self-esteem was lower than any potato still left in the ground thanks to both my mother and the "in" group. When the material for rush came (yes, in my day it was still rush, not recruitment), it all went right in the trash. I was not going to start off a new school with the "in" girls doing to me what they did in HS (and junior high, and elementary school). My relationship with my mother was pretty awful to put it mildly.

Daffy, you must be my long-lost sister. I was right there in the spud-land, too. And with the same mother! I didn't know enough to sign up for rush (yes, it was rush back then), but COB'd about 6 weeks later.

[AnchorAlumna]

Well now, I wonder what did happen with the OP??

[Fawn Liebowitz]

I read somewhere that college "levels the playing field"...in other words, it doesn't matter how cool or popular you were in high school; when you get to college, you basically start all over again. Some people really blossom once they get to college. Use this as your chance to shine and put your high school experience where it belongs...in the past.

[Fawn Liebowitz]

Oh, and I have to second what DeltAlum said...it's been really nice reading the posts in this thread.