When I started my freshman year at George Mason, the last thing I expected to do was join a sorority. The idea of joining a group of girls who pick and choose which candidates are “eligible” enough to fit into their exclusive group sickened me. But, I was warned that if I did not join a sorority, I would fall victim to the boring lifestyle Mason was known for.
My mom was in a sorority during the ’80s. She went to a big mid-western party school whose campus life revolved around Panhellenic organizations and even she had mixed feelings about her experience with them. My dad, on the other hand, hated sororities and fraternities, claiming they took away individuality. I had friends who joined sororities at other universities, some loving it and some hating it. So, with such a mixed review from a wide array of people, what was I to think? How could I make a fair assessment of such a controversial issue without experiencing it for myself? There was only one way to figure out what Greek life truly held: go through recruitment. Who knows, maybe it would end up being perfect for me.
After some light research of the 7 current sororities offered at Mason (Chi Omega, Alpha Xi Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Pi Beta Phi, and Alpha Omicron Pi), I had a rough idea of which were my top choices. Kappa Delta formally joined the Mason community for their own recruitment later in the semester. But nothing could have prepared me for the chaos of recruitment week. It was a blur of awkward forced conversations, pretty girls and sleepless nights.
The first couple of days were easy. I was able to effortlessly narrow down my selection to my top five choices, then the top two. What really surprised me was that the group who’d earned a reputation on campus for being the “mean girl” sorority ended up really spiking my interest. I try to be nice to everyone I meet, so I was shocked that I connected with these girls in a way I didn’t expect (after all, a bad reputation doesn’t always speak the truth). But I figured if they like me, that must mean I fit in. So, listening to everyone’s advice of “trust the process,” I did just that. I followed my gut, even though my mind was telling me something was off.
Once Bid Day rolled around, I wound up getting my second choice: the “mean girl” sorority. I was swept up in the overwhelming emotions of the day and went with it. I had friends and acquaintances who ended up alongside me in the sorority and were ecstatic about finding their new home. I was still a bit reluctant, but I kept rolling with it. I met all the sisters, got added to the GroupMe, went to the first mixer and attended the new member meeting.
Related: An Introvert’s Guide to Sorority Recruitment
The entire reason I went through the recruitment process was that I wanted to find out for myself what a sorority was all about. I didn’t join to judge or be mean or to write this article. But after going through the first week as a new member, I knew it was not for me. My first issue? The party culture. Of course, I knew there was going to be partying (this is college after all), but I was not at all prepared for the extensive amounts this sorority seemed to participate in. It was all the GroupMe talked about, and I started to wonder if they cared at all about their philanthropy that they so adamantly advertised during recruitment. I felt misled.
My next reason for dropping out was the money. Each sorority has a different price for dues that you are required to pay every year, and of course, they do not disclose this amount during the recruitment process. There were payment plans offered, which was nice, but over $1000 a year still seemed like a steep price tag for me (which didn’t include the t-shirts I’d have to buy throughout the year, umm, hell no). There is nothing that would justify that price to me.
Lastly, the time commitment was too much for me. It was made abundantly clear that your life becomes your sorority. You have meetings every Sunday, usually a philanthropy or tabling event every week to every other week, and frat parties that are “strongly encouraged” for you to attend on the weekends. Miss a chapter meeting or a philanthropy event and you’re fined, even if you have a work-related obligation. Miss the fraternity parties on the weekends and your “sisters” are all getting to know each other without you. It was too easy to be left out if you weren’t going out. If you’re like me and you don’t like to party, that’s fine, a sorority might still be for you, but know that your dues will still fund mixers (with a “wet” portion at night where everyone is drinking) and drunken formals you’re not attending. I’m the kind of girl that likes to enjoy my weekends relaxing with my boyfriend and watching Netflix, and the sorority lifestyle does not take that into account.
So I took the plunge. I dropped out, not without countless girls trying to convince me to stay. At the end of the day, I made the decision that was best for me, just as staying in a sorority might be the best decision for other women. I went in with an open mind, and it just wasn’t the right organization for me. Instead, I joined Her Campus, and have found a new set of women who are empowering and incredibly talented. No matter what your interests are, there’s a home for you at Mason. Check out Get Connected to see what organizations and clubs are offered. Who knows, maybe you will wind up writing for Her Campus too!