When we first go to university, we start down a four-year path to define ourselves. That fresh start when we come to college is an opportunity unlike any other to move on from who we used to be and decide who we will become. We choose a major that we love or one that we think will propel us toward the future we want. We pick a dorm to live in, complete with a roommate (or not) and a theme. We join clubs to boost our resumes or to fulfill our passions. All of these decisions, among others, set us apart from our fellow students; however, one of the choices that most affects the paths of individual Case students is the decision to go Greek.
Students at Case, along with those at many other colleges, can be divided into Greeks and non-Greeks. This distinction may lead many to accuse Greeks of being exclusive and unfair; however, our letters are not meant to divide us; instead, they are meant to bring us closer together. While there may be different chapters, all of the sororities are still Greek together, and the strong Panhellenic spirit on our campus is a testament to the close-knit community we have built. The ties that bind us are among the strongest college relationships we will make. Our Greek community is accepting and welcoming, and many campus Greeks state their decision to join the community as the best one of their college careers, a fact further supported by a claim that our school has “Best Greek/Non-Greek Relations” in the country.
As a freshman, deciding whether or not to go through formal recruitment is arguably the one that has the most influence on the rest of your college years. The sisters you gain and the experiences you encounter shape and become the background for the rest of your college career. While your sorority may not always be front and center, it won’t be long until you will begin to see its influence creep into all aspects of your life — even away from school.
At the end of the day, the decision to join a sorority is an incredibly personal one. It isn’t a decision that you should base on whether your floor is doing it, if your boyfriend wants you to or if you just have nothing better to do. Also, while deciding which chapter to join may seem like a decision of unbearable importance, it’s not. Every chapter on campus has something amazing to offer, and you shouldn’t let anything anyone tells you sway your opinion.
Formal recruitment is a unique experience, to say the least. If you decided to go through it, you probably felt extremely overwhelmed and, at times, conflicted. Maybe you hated it so much that you had to be dragged back kicking and screaming for the second weekend, or maybe you loved it and immediately connected to a chapter so deeply that you were shocked you had lived so long without these women in your life. On Bid Day, you were probably shaking with anticipation in a long line in the dingy basement that is the Greek Life Office. You’ve probably never been so nervous in your life, but when you received your bid, it was all worth it because you had finally found your home. On the other hand, maybe you were devastated after receiving a bid to a chapter you had ranked last, and the feeling of rejection and “Why aren’t I good enough?” almost made you break down in public. No matter what your experience, it was, at the very least, different from anything you’ve ever gone through, and it’ll be different than anything you’ll ever experience again in your life. But no matter whether you were elated or crushed after receiving your bid, it will be worth it in the long run. The women who have chosen you to be their new sister will welcome you with open arms and open hearts, and in a year, you will wonder why you ever doubted it in the first place (if you did). Even if it doesn’t feel like it now, your chapter will eventually become your home away from home – not just for the next four years, but for life.