As any average teenager knows, there are a lot of decisions to be made about your plans after high school. One of the questions that every girl hears at least once is: “Are you going to rush?” For a lot of girls, deciding to go through formal recruitment is seen as a decision that could make or break your entire college career. However, I don’t believe there’s any harm in stepping out of your comfort zone to meet new people and to learn what Greek life is all about. I think every girl should rush, and here’s why:
1. It’s something new
College is all about expanding your horizons, right? There is no better way to gain new experiences and learn more about life than joining an organization that will allow you to meet hundreds of people from completely different backgrounds and with all kinds of different perspectives.
2. So many opportunities for leadership and involvement
There are so many ways you can get involved on campus through Greek life. You can take on a leadership role within your chapter or even look for ways to get involved with Greek life as a whole. The opportunities are endless.
3. Service
Philanthropy is BIG part of Greek life. Chapters all over the country spend countless hours volunteering and trying to raise money for hundreds of different local and national philanthropies. You could end up raising awareness about something near and dear to your heart, or you could end up growing a whole new passion for something you had never even heard of until college. Plus, volunteering locally gives you a whole new outlook on your life. It also allows you to get to know the community you live in better.
4. Networking
Older members and alumnae are some of the most inspirational and helpful people you will meet after getting involved with a Greek organization. Meeting these people could provide you with the opportunity of landing a great job or internship someday. They also give younger members a lot of guidance when it comes to acing finals, meeting with professors, navigating relationships with roommates, filling out applications or resumes, and really, just figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life.
5. It makes campus feel like a smaller community
I know people say this all the time…but it’s true. You’ll see people from your chapter and other chapters all over campus. Chances are that at least one person in your class is in Greek life, even if they’re not in your chapter. And since academics are so important to every chapter on campus, you’ll basically have a built-in study group for every class. If you feel like you wouldn’t be able to bond with these people because they’re not in your chapter, I only have one thing to say: “No matter the letter, we’re all Greek together.”
6. This one is important: Sisterhood
Joining a Greek organization is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Sure, I was in musical groups and on sports teams that were basically my family growing up…but this is a whole new level of connection. Each chapter is founded on values and rituals that bind every member, past and present, in a more meaningful way than I could have ever imagined. I wish I could put into words how deeply these connections run but it’s nearly impossible. It sounds cliché, but it’s truly something that you have to experience to fully understand. Your sisters share the same values as you do, and they will be by your side no matter what life throws at you.
I know you’re probably thinking that you’ve heard all of this before. However, I can honestly say that going through recruitment was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made (right behind the choice to attend this amazing university). I was always that girl who told everyone that I would never join a sorority, because I wasn’t a “sorority girl” and I could never imagine being “one of those girls.” Then, after one of my best friends joined a sorority and told me about all of the great things her chapter did for her, I figured I should at least give it a chance. College is the best time to open your mind to new things, even if you don’t think Greek life is for you or you feel like it’s too late in the game for you to change your mind (yes, I’m talking to all of you non-freshmen). So, my advice to you is this: go through recruitment and open yourself up to all of the amazing things Greek life has to offer.