When you choose to join a sorority, you choose to represent more than just yourself.
Alexia Neal | Argonaut
Everything you do reflects back directly on your house and the members of your house. So naturally, you must strive to make your sorority proud. If you make it onto the Dean’s List, it reflects positively on the house. On the other hand, a bad decision at a party can reflect negatively on the house.
You always wear your letters, representing your house. Being in a sorority teaches you to be responsible for your actions, which is a valuable and rare trait these days.
The day you get accepted to a house and get a bid card, you immediately have up to 60 friends, all with a goal to help you succeed and make you feel welcome in your new home. You are instantly surrounded by people who want you to excel, both in school and at life.
Most houses have programs to help people in their classes if needed. You’re never alone in life after joining a sorority. It is likely that every class you take has been taken by someone else in your house. When registering for a class, you have the benefit of knowing which teacher to choose or what time is best. You can also receive help directly from someone with experience in the class and have examples of what the teacher prefers.
You also learn to share space with the people around you. In most sorority houses, the space you can call your own is only a desk and a closet. Because there is such a limited space, you learn to only bring what you need.
Most girls are more than willing to share their clothes with others, so the entire house is your closet. Getting ready for the day is actually pretty exciting, as you have so many clothing options.
Most houses have what is called a sleeping porch — a 24-hour quiet room with bunk beds provided for the house members. The windows in this room are always open for health reasons, so most girls have heated blankets to keep them warm. Although it can be uncomfortable at first, the porch is easy to get used to and eventually you learn to love it.
It seems like being in a house full of up to 60 girls can be emotionally overwhelming, but it really isn’t. There are plenty of places around the house to hang out if you want quiet time. Not to mention, most houses on Greek Row are a mere five-minute walk to either the library or Student Union Building. Every house also has a study room and at least one TV room, so you can find quiet time there as well.
There aren’t many negatives to joining a sorority. The fast pace teaches you to manage your time and be productive. The small space teaches you to be selective. The amount of girls you get close to gives you connections all over the country for the rest of your life. What some may see as a downfall can easily be made into a positive. Go Greek.
Alexia Neal can be reached at [email protected]