Why I Didn’t Go Greek

 This may sound like such a freshman move, but the reason I didn’t go to Freshmen Recruitment Week (FMR) my first year at CMU was simply this: none of my friends went. So by chance (and some laziness and shyness) I did not join a sorority my freshman year.
 
By the time sophomore year rolled around I had earned an officer position at our chapter of Amnesty International and felt I was already contributing to the university in a meaningful way. Plus, I’ll be honest—I just couldn’t stand the idea of joining a sorority and interacting with girls, and only girls, to run a number of events. I crave diversity in my work setting, and though there is some diversity in our sororities the fact is there is no gender diversity in building a booth for Kappa or planning a coffee house fundraiser for Theta. So I sat out FMR a second year, but cheered on my roommate as she navigated through Greek life those 2 semesters.
 
By the time I began junior year I had already experienced something as fulfilling as I could ever find in college—an international service trip to Nicaragua. When I ended sophomore year I ended a year of forming lifelong bonds with a diverse, but small, group of people who also had a passion for Latin America and sustainable service.  These 9 individuals were not even my friends—they were my family. Though my family was tiny I had no reason at this stage of my college career to join a big sorority; I was already surrounded by a group of people who knew me inside and out. So I passed up FMR a third time and knew I would do the same the following year.
 
Though it’s hard now to have frat boys and sorority girls treat me like I don’t belong when I go to Greek parties and events and to watch a few of my friends gain close female mentors through their sororities, I haven’t regretted my decision to pass up FMR and not go Greek. Greek life is pre-loaded with so many events and responsibilities that, despite the fact that sorority girls tell you during recruitment that you can choose to be as active as you like, the fact is that the financial cost of sorority membership (which is very high!) is only worth it if you are very active in the system. You would not believe how much time it takes to network with your sorority sisters, to find a Little, or to attend weekly chapter meetings. I knew joining a sorority, with the annual events built into sisters’ duties like formals, crush events, mixers, Greek Sing and booth among A TON of other, small events, would limit my ability to give myself fully to my interests and to my career development.
 
Staying out of Greek life allowed me to blaze my own path through college and explore my personal interests. I’ve formed lifelong bonds with a select number of people from different campus organizations and diverse backgrounds. I imagine us sitting down together 50 years from now, dentures and all, looking back on all we accomplished together; for me, this is what college is about. Whether you find passionate people and achieve great things inside or outside of a sorority is simply a matter of personality… And a little chance.