To do sorority recruitment, or to not do sorority recruitment, that is the question.
For me, I thought the answer was simple. With schoolwork, clubs, and personal endeavors, sorority life would have just been an added stress (I mean, did you see the rush schedule?). Plus, I never envisioned myself as a sorority girl… that was until all of my friends participated in sorority recruitment.
During that President’s Day weekend, they returned with sore feet and no voices, but also with stories of all of the people they met, how much fun it was, and how happy they were to soon end up where they truly belonged. From helping them pick out their outfits for each day to getting daily run-downs of the sororities here at BU, I felt immersed in the process, but without the satisfaction of finding a sisterhood. To put it simply, I had major FOMO.
According to Urban Dictionary, FOMO is a state of mental or emotional strain caused by the FEAR OF MISSING OUT. With all my friends joining their own sororities and finding a new group of girls to call their sisters, I couldn’t help but feel left behind and regret not rushing in the first place.
With today’s overemphasis on appearances, social media makes it difficult not to have Greek life FOMO. My feed is constantly flowing with pictures from bid day, mixers, and big/little week from colleges all around the country. It’s inescapable. But the only way to get over my FOMO is to remind myself that I can be happy without a sorority and that, should I change my mind about joining Greek life, I can always rush next year.
Don’t get stuck wondering “what if?” Everything happens for a reason. It’s normal to feel a little left out when all your friends are out and about, but that just gives you even more time to focus on your passions.
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