Welcome to Greek life, pledge! You just joined a sorority…so now what? You probably have a lot of questions about how this entire process is going to work. Have no fear! HC Emory is here to clear up some of the confusion about what you should expect.
Time commitment: Pledging a sorority is a big time commitment because new members have a lot of mandatory events. Between learning chapter ritual, getting involved in your chapter’s philanthropies, study hours with your sisters, and weekly chapter meetings, you’ll be busy this semester. But don’t worry; it’s not a bad thing! The standard new member education events are actually fun. You get to learn chapter songs, attend mixers and date parties, and all of these events provide so many opportunities to become closer with your pledge class and the rest of your sorority. You’ll look forward to going to most of these events because you want to support your sisters who have put so much time and effort into organizing these chapter events. Just think of it as having a pre-packed social calendar!
A huge pledge class: Remember so recently when you stood outside freezing in arctic temperatures with over 500 other girls? As you may have expected, since so many girls went through recruitment, you have a huge pledge class. For some it can be overwhelming, especially for those who didn’t previously know many of the girls in their pledge class. Speaking from experience, having a big pledge class (mine was 65 last year) is a lot of fun. All of you will experience most of the same activities together, so it’s easy to bond with girls over something silly. A big pledge class gives you so many more people to get to know, more closets to scour, and more sisters to support you. Oh, and speaking of huge pledge classes…
SO MANY NEW PEOPLE: Yes, the caps-lock is necessary. A lot of girls pledging sororities don’t actually realize how many people will friend them on Facebook after Bid Day. You’ll probably still meet girls the year after you first join; many girls will come back from their semester(s) abroad, some will no longer have a semester-long excuse from chapter, and some girls you’ll meet for the first time during recruitment. At first it can be a lot to handle, but it really is exciting to meet everyone as a new member. One of the best things about being in a sorority is the people you meet with such diverse interests; you make so many friends that you otherwise may not have met.
Big/little relationship: Eventually you’ll receive a big, and you’ll probably post a picture on Facebook with her with the caption, “Love my big!” But what really is a big? Your big is meant to be your mentor/go-to girl for any questions you may have during pledging (and, for many girls, years after that). She’ll shower you with presents: T-shirts galore, some handmade crafts, and miscellaneous items that rep your sorority’s symbols. The relationship you’ll forge with your entire family (your big, grand-big, and maybe even your great-grand-big) gives you all a bond, whether or not you knew them before recruitment. Some sorority families are closer than others; many have regular dinner dates and go out together, and some don’t have as much time to spend together. Regardless, having a family is a way for you to meet and bond with older and younger girls in your sorority.
Pledging a sorority is essentially a time when you can decide whether or not a particular sorority is right for you. It’s the time when a lot of girls make their favorite sorority memories, and when they make friends they’ll carry with them the rest of their college years (and long after that). Now you know what to expect from pledging a sorority, but nothing can truly prepare you for the real thing: all the new experiences and good times you’ll have. Have fun bonding with your new sisters!