Is sorority life for me? Part 1

For many of us, back-to-school shopping and roommate assignments also means recruitment.

This is the first of a three-part series on deciding if sorority life is right for you.

Sorority bonds last for a lifetime! My best friend was recently married with many of our Pi Phi sisters as bridesmaids.

I have to start off with a personal note about myself: I went into college without any intention to join a sorority. I went to a university where roughly 80 percent of students join a Greek organization, but still I was skeptical. I’d heard rumors that it was just “buying” your friends and an excuse to drink and party a lot. I decided to rush simply because I wanted to go through the process and be able to say with certainty that the entire Greek thing was the farthest thing from what I wanted.

Granted, I do not think that being Greek is for everyone, however I know that if I hadn’t given the opportunity a chance, I would have missed out on the most profound aspect of my college experience.

Here’s some things to think about regarding Greek life before you even step foot on campus:

• Find your university’s Greek life website. Learn which chapters are on campus and what they stand for. Look at their philanthropies and check out their websites to see if it’s something that might interest you. Follow them on Twitter to keep updated with what sorority headquarters is up to.
• Talk to Greek women you know already. Many of us have older sisters, friends, aunts, mothers or grandmothers who are Greek alumnae. Talk to them about their experiences and why they chose to “go Greek.” Feel free to ask the College Lifestyles interns too!
• Check out websites such as this one sponsored by the National Panhellenic Conference or this one by SureSister. There’s a lot of information out there about the Greek system and recruitment. Make sure the information is credible! Plenty of bloggers and writers claim to tell you the “insider scoop” on Greek life, but often these people were not involved with the Greek system or have a negative, uninformed viewpoint.
• Talk with your family about the decision. Having the support of your parents in a decision to go Greek is just as important as it is in other decisions like choosing a college.
• Always, always, ALWAYS keep an open mind. Don’t say no to an opportunity before you give it a fair shake.

Stephanie Hardiman is an intern with College Lifestyles (TM). She is a proud alumna of Washington and Lee University and Pi Beta Phi, attending graduate school at DePaul University in the fall. Follow her on Twitter @Steph_Hardiman.