“No, all you’re going to do is party.” “No, you will be fine without joining one.” “No, I’m not paying for you to have friends.” “No, you’re not going to gain anything from the experience.” These are all the arguments my parents made against me when I asked to join a sorority at UF during my freshmen year of college. And let me tell you, they could not have been more wrong.
I promise, we only have parties 3 or 4 times a week. I’m only kidding, kind of? On a serious note, sororities have requirements and if these requirements are not met you are no longer allowed to be a part of that chapter. You have to keep a certain gpa, attend a weekly meeting, participate in charity events, and make sure you are representing your chapter in a positive manner. In a sense, a sorority is like having a really laid back parental figure around. They make sure you’re always on you’re “A” game and that your priorities are in check. If you’re coming into college thinking you’re going to go haywire cause you have all this newly found freedom. Rush, it could tame the beast inside you.
You are about to join a community of 100+ girls. The aesthetic of networking you are about to enter into is going to blow your mind. Anything you need, literally just about anything, someone in your sorority will have some sort of connection to help you. Could be little things like, you’re looking for a job. Well, your sister Sally just told you her boss is looking to hire. Could be big things like, your family vacation to Spain, what are cool places to go? Well, your sister Megan just went there with her family last summer and is more than happy to give you her whole itinerary. Where is the best place to get my hair done here? Where can I get a good cheese burger? Can you find me a boyfriend? My answer, yo sista from anota mista. Trust me, she will know. It’s nice to have connections, especially your first year away from home. You always had that life support, but now they are hundreds of miles and a phone call away. Your sorority is now your life support and they are there for you every step of the way.
I would be lying to you if I sat here and told you that stereotypical phrase isn’t true. Yes, you are paying for your friends but it’s kind of like Mean Girls 2. Where Abby’s parents pay Jo to be her friend but they end up becoming best friends. I know it sounds weird but its only weird at first. You enter a school with 60,000 new people, knowing a solid 0-5 people from your home town. Those odds are not in your favor. You might as well just want to throw up your three fingers now and volunteer as tribute. When you join, your pledge class does just about everything together and you end up becoming really close with these girls. This is nice, considering you don’t know a single soul yet. But you don’t just meet girls in your own sorority. When you rush you will meet girls in the rushing process with you. The girls you meet will not always end up in the same sorority as you, so therefore you will have friends in other sororities. They will introduce you to their friend and vice versa. You will begin to realize Greek life is its own community and trust me you want to be a part of it.
I have to tell you, joining a sorority will give you opportunities to do things you never thought you would do. No, I’m not talking about getting on top of a table at a frat party and lip syncing Justin Bieber to all of the hot frat boys. Trust me, it was a big mistake. I’m talking about putting together a hip-hop routine with your sisters and preforming it in front of every sorority on campus. Playing in a corn hole tournament against a bunch of frat boys. Having to ask a guy on a date function. Yes ladies, feminism. Putting together a cheer routine and a cheer in front of a bunch of frat boys. There are a countless number of things I would have never had the opportunity to do if I hadn’t joined a sorority. Having the chance to put yourself out there with all you’ve got but you know what, its easy because you know you have 100+ girls that got your back.
Number 5, for the big win. You probably predicted this one considering all my enthusiasm in the last 4 points. My advice to you is, at least give it a try before you put your nose you to it. I sound like a mother to get her kid to eat their vegetables at the dinner table. But here’s where mom and I are different. She’s feeding you lies, saying the vegetables taste good, but we all know they actually taste like you went outside and picked up a hand full of grass. On the other hand, I vow to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. Let’s say you try it and it wasn’t for you. That’s okay, but I’m telling you once you’re in you won’t want to leave. It gives a whole new meaning to “having the college experience.” It will always keep you on your toes, you will always have something to do, and you will always have people to support you.
If its Greek, it’s great. Go gators, baby.
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