Every year, thousands of collegiettes across campus break out their cutest outfits and best smiles in preparation for formal sorority recruitment. For almost every girl going through recruitment, this week-long process can be one of the most stressful times of your college years. All of the worry and stress accumulated throughout the week becomes worth it on Bid Day when new members get to run home to their new sisters.
Your first year within the sorority is always the greatest. Everything is new and exciting, you’re making more friends than you ever thought possible, and the older girls shower you with love and affection. The first year as a new member is a time when girls usually give their all for their sorority. Unfortunately, for a lot of girls, staying active within a sorority is just not something they can manage after a while. Maybe it’s due to a lack of time because of a job, internship or full course load, or maybe it’s because of lack of funds (let’s be real — sororities are expensive). Either way, by their junior and senior years, almost half of the girls within each pledge class have either dropped out of their chapters or gone inactive.
For the girls who find themselves in a situation where they can no longer be a part of their sorority, the transition is a scary one. Leaving the comfort of your sorority home and losing the network of 100 or more girls there to love and support you can leave you feeling alone at a big school. I’m here to tell you that this transition, while difficult, does not have to be as scary as everyone thinks it is.
Expectation: “Current sisters won’t want to associate with me now that I’ve lost my letters.”
Reality
Your friends will still be your friends, regardless of whether or not you’re officially affiliated with them. Just because you’re no longer a member doesn’t mean these girls won’t still have your back. If anyone understands the situation you’re in, it’ll be these ladies, and they’ll make sure to always be there for you.
Expectation: “My social life will be non-existent.”
Reality
Trust me, you will definitely still have a social life. Leaving your sorority does not mean you suddenly become a total loner. Your group of girlfriends will still invite you to watch Netflix or hit up Midtown on any given night. Former sisters will still want to hang out with you, and you’ll get plenty of sign-night invites when 21st birthdays roll around. Leaving your sorority will give you the chance to expand your social horizons and meet people outside of Greek life.
Expectation: “I’m going to starve to death because I can’t cook for myself.”
Reality
Cooking for yourself is really not as bad as it seems. In the beginning, first attempts at cooking a halfway-decent meal may be rough, but after a while you’ll get the hang of it and find that you might actually really enjoy cooking. Plus, you’ll save yourself from some of those less-than-edible meals the house chef might make on a weekly basis. This will give you a head start on learning to cook for yourself so it’s not as much of a shock when you graduate and enter the real world.
Expectation: “I’m going to have too much free time on my hands and nothing to do with it.”
Reality
Yes, leaving your sorority will leave you with more free time on your hands, but trust me when I say that you will definitely have uses for this extra time. Before you know it, you’ll find so many better uses of your time than having to go to chapter every week. You can find a job or internship, or even branch out and become more involved with clubs on campus. Think of it as trading in your sorority for more study time, more involvement or more career opportunities.
The decision to leave your sorority is a personal one, and one that a lot of collegiettes struggle with. While it can be hard to transition into post-sorority life, this guide can help ease the process. When one door closes, another door opens. Always remember to stay positive, ladies!