Why did you decide to join a sorority?

[SWTXBelle]

And let us remember that, thank God, very few women in college do not grow, mature and change. You are not doomed to be your high school self forever - you can reinvent yourself.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

And let us remember that, thank God, very few women in college do not grow, mature and change. You are not doomed to be your high school self forever - you can reinvent yourself.

Absolutely. You can be a better version of yourself, and the jerks (or mean girls) you knew in high school often become better too.

[DMCBlondie]

I decided to go through recruitment because my roommates were doing it. I wasn't the most outgoing person, so it was a major stretch for me, but I didn't want to feel left out. I almost didn't show up for the first meeting. But I went through with it and stuck it out to the end and ended up where I belong.

The best advice I can think of is to be yourself and not only begin recruitment but finish it too! Don't get discouraged along the way, but follow through and make an effort to enjoy the house you get a bid to. If you don't get a bid, its not the end of the world. It would not be fun to end up at a house that doesn't want you.

What do you guys think of going through recruitment twice? I know of a lot of people that go through again because they didn't get a bid to the house they wanted the first time.

[flirt5721]

Honestly, the reason I decided to go thou recruitment was because I needed to make friends that were girls. I am an Electrical Engineering major and there are not very many girls in that major. I was tried of hanging out with guys all the time(which if you know/knew an engineer you will understand). Also because I was shy and wanted to be more confident when talking to others and make new friends. I didn't join til my soph. year and my freshman year I really didn't do much but go to class and go home.

I was not popular in high school and I found where I belong. I honestly never thought I would join a sorority. Sorority life is not for everyone. I have friends that did not like what sorority life had to offer but I also have many friend (including myself) that did like what it had to offer.

Not all are like the girls you described.

Fraternity/sorority relationship: socials and events are done with them. Girls will have their favorite fraternity or be dating guys from a specific fraternity but you are not required to like a specific fraternity. Guys will be guys not matter if they are in a fraternity or not. I have at least one friends in each fraternity on my campus. Many guys from the fraternity will be nice and make good friends but there is always going to be some idiot that thinks he's all that just because he is in a fraternity.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Every campus is different. I think the campus you'll be on will play a large role in whether or not you decide to go through recruitment. On large or very Greek oriented campuses, the social aspect is probably a large motivator for rushing. There will probably be chapters avaliable to you that don't focus on that, but I don't know if you'll be able to escape that hierarchy mentality. On a smaller or less Greek oriented campus, I think the Greek life tends to be a little more diverse, laid back, and focused. Stereotypes don't apply EVERYWHERE. Talk to the Greek advisor on your campus, and try to talk to students on campus as well, like a tour guide. Be specific. Tell them exactly what you're looking for.

I went through Recruitment because my mom wanted me to. It was also an effortless way to meet people. I ended up accepting a bid because I saw that the sororities on my campus for the most part did NOT meet the stereotypes that I grew up listening to. I've learned so much about interaction, friendship, how to deal with arguements, how to pick battles, how to win battles, how to be a REAL friend, how to be a little less self centered, how to politic...to me it was worth it.

As far as "moral values", every chapter on a campus is different. A Chi O chapter at school A might be the brainer girls and at school B might be the artsy girls and at school C might be the pretty girls...you get the picture. Every sorority differs at every school. That's why it's important to learn more about your specific campus. It's my impression that at schools where Greek life is king, there tends to be more pressure to fit in. Sometimes that might mean bending morals. Now this does NOT mean that all sorority girls at a Greek oriented school are sluts. Anyone with strong moral convictions can "just say no". It's just hard to have those at 18, sometimes. It also does NOT mean that every chapter on the campus is like that. I think at smaller schools the pressure is lessened, so it might be a little easier to "just say no". The fact is, though, sorority or not, college is a time for experiementation for a lot of people. It doesn't have to be, but I think that that's a common factor in college life Greek or not.

Again, the fraternity/sorority relationship differs school to school, chapter to chapter. And as far as drunk fraternity guys go...try going to a party with ANY college guys, regardless of affiliation and lack thereof and NOT get hit on. They're guys. They just do that. For me, I haven't noticed a difference between the two. They both do it. There are plenty of ways to meet guys without alcohol, though. Mixers, for instance, are a good way to hang out in groups and meet new guys.

I think the first step for you is, once you know for sure where you are going to college, talk to the Greek Advisor on your campus, and try to get the opinion of students both Greek and non Greek. See what they say, and then try to make your decision based on that. If nothing else, feel free to go through Recruitment for the heck of it. If you decide that Greek life is not for you, you are not required to finish the process. But it won't hurt to try, and you'll meet lots of new girls in the process.

[bejazd]

For most people college is a transition from being almost totally dependent on others to being almost totally independent. It's a journey. But unlike everything you've ever done before you are going to do this journey on your own for the most part...your parents, your teachers, your friends, the people you knew from high school or your hometown...none of them are going to do this for you. Don't spend a second of it worrying about popularity or cliques! If you want to surround yourself with people who will care about you and cheer you on through your college journey, then make checking out sorority life one part of it. But do it for yourself and by yourself because you are the only person who it will matter to whether you join or not.

[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.