It’s rush season: the time to meet your sisters and start your college life as you always dreamed of. Those crazy movies like Legally Blonde, Neighbors 2, and House Bunny create a stereotype of what sororities are like. Throwing all the preconvieved notion of what you thought you knew out the window – here’s how reality and movies differ on sorority life.
1. Every sorority is different.
Yes, some sororities may look perfect with their blonde hair, killer outfits fresh off the runway and a smile perfect for a photo shoot. But in reality, one or two sororities out of the majority are like that. Some have girls that are a little nerdier while others like to just hang out and watch a movie on a Saturday night instead of going to a club. Each one attracts a certain crowd and you have to pick one that feels best for you and one where you could picture yourself hanging out with them.
2. Not all of them care about looks.
It is a well-known fact that sororities just attract people based on their physical appearance. Wrong! A lot of the process when rushing a sorority is talking to people. They want to get to know you as a person. Most of the process is talking about things you have in common with the sisters. When meeting with each sorority, the conversation varies from traveling to your favorite tv shows or even struggles with college. They want to get to know you to and see if you are a good fit in their sisterhood.
3. They do not scream and chant in your face.
I’m sure we have all seen those creepy sorority videos with a bunch of sisters greeting you with loud chants and screams. It can all seem very overwhelming and feels like you have entered an alternative universe. During this you may ask yourself, “Is this a cult?” Wrong, again! Although there can be a similar experience when entering the sorority, they do not chant in your face to intimidate you. Instead, the chants are meant to get everyone hyped up and excited. It also breaks the awkwardness when walking into the house, which would have been filled with silence.
4. It can get competitive.
During the process of rushing a sorority, you get to meet a lot of people besides just the ones in the actual sorority. The people who are also going through recruitment can be people you can lean on or talk to because they are going through the same thing! Just like the college process, it can get awkward when someone doesn’t get called back to the sorority they want. Try to prevent people from asking others about their choices and be honest! You don’t have to feel pressured to express your opinions and thoughts on the sororities.
5. Not everyone gets into the sorority they want.
Going through sorority recruitment can be physically and emotionally tiring. Rejection can be hard on your self esteem. You might have your heart set on one sorority but not get in. Some of your friends might but you don’t. Either way just know things work out for a reason. It can be hard to be happy for other people, but think about other possibilities to get involved on campus. You can join a club or try rushing again. To make things easier, try deleting your social media for a week so you don’t see the posts and get serious FOMO.
Movies are a great source for entertainment but can misconstrue your view on certain subjects. They also emphasize the stereotypes we all know. Just know most sororities are not the glitz and glamour we all know. They are not for just for stereotypical beautiful blondes. Instead, they are a place for a sense of belonging. But we can all strive to be Elle Woods. Either way, just remember that you’ll always have James Charles as a sister!