People are often shocked when I tell them that my school has no Greek life. “What?! So what do you do on weekends?” is a common question I get. OR even better, “but you were totally the sorority type… don’t you feel like you’re missing out?”
To be completely honest, the answer to the second question is yes. Yes, I missed the opportunity of not being able to be a part of the Greek community with their colorful banners, t-shirts, costumes, and all the fun aspects of bid day. Seeing pictures and videos on Facebook of my high school classmates running to be enthusiastically greeted by their new sisters gave my heart a twang of FOMO. Liking new profile pictures, cover photos, and Instagram posts with girls showing different hand signs with their new letters made me question just how dry people assumed my own college experience had been. Seeing people get initiated into their new sisterhoods, families, and going through big little reveal definitely made me wish I could be a part of a world so different from the one I was in. Being around people proudly sporting their new letters makes me yearn for an all-girls community that shares a secret bond.
About a year ago, I was faced with a pretty big decision for a 17-year-old senior in high school: to go to state school or to go far far away. Many of my family and our friends had gone to UMD and loved it. I lived vicariously through their stories and social media, displaying what they were up to in college. Although I wanted to branch out and leave my 13 years of catholic school for a Big Ten school experience, I decided that BC was the place for me. Looking back, I know that this was the best decision I’ve made for myself and thoroughly enjoy every second of my time here (maybe not the Newton bus). I thought that I could leave “no Greek life” behind and not have any regrets and although I don’t have regrets per se, it still felt weird to see all my friends being inducted into a secret sisterhood that I had no access to.
After seeing the joy and excitement of my friends and old classmates as they entered into a mystical Panhellenic world, I yearned for the same excitement. Making friends seemed so easy for them– they always had parties to go to, events to attend, meetings to be at (even though they were supposedly boring), and a national network of sisters to connect with.
My ego was slightly tarnished as I saw people replace their profile pictures and cover pictures (that yours truly used to be in) and have it be replaced with an ad for a philanthropy event or an artsy picture from bid day. They seemed to find their niche so quickly in such a big school just by joining an organization that basically gave them their support system and friend group.
Although people do act surprised when they find out that I chose to go to school with no Greek life, I don’t regret my decision despite the fact that there were times when I longed for nothing more than being a part of this community. At times, I considered how different life would be if I had gone to another school and had the chance be a part of the community that I had looked up to so much in the past. Even now, I do wonder how things would have been if I had rushed a sorority and lived a life that I thought I had so badly desired to be a part of.
For now, I (slightly) live vicariously through my friends’ social media accounts. I’m always down to listen to my friends’ stories about their experiences and am so proud of them as they enter their new sisterhoods. My BC friends and I throw up a Kappa sign for Keyes (because let’s be real: the girls floors in the Newton of Newton are like their own sororities). I am always in full support of the Greek community, for all the amazing things they do, and for having such a unique bond with each member.
My BC friends and I know all the sorority lingo from friends at home. Although I still go through phases of FOMO and would love to be able to go to fun, themed, events and live in a house with a bunch of other girls who share a sisterhood, I know that I can find some of the same aspects without being in a sorority. Even though it was a unique aspect of college life to not have, I know that I’m able to thrive in a unique way at a campus that does not have Greek life. At BC, I’m able to to pursue the major that I want, and make meaningful friendships that I know will last me a lifetime. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself at a Catholic school (again)– but I wouldn’t change my current experience for the world.
Sources:
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