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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois State chapter.

So you’re thinking of rushing a service sorority?

I am a sister of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, and I am here to tell you that it will be the best decision you will ever make. Here are 4 reasons why you should rush.

It Gets you involved

Joining a service sorority has given me so many opportunities to volunteer on campus and meet so many different people that I otherwise would not have. There is a misconception that a service sorority is not as involved as Panhellenic sororities, but with a service sorority, you will get every aspect and more of Greek life that you would get with Panhellenic. My service sorority participates in rush week, Bid Day, Barn Dance, Formals, Guys and Girls day, Big/Little, sisterhoods and more. These are so much fun and are a way to get involved in your chapter as well! There are also so many service opportunities within a service sorority to get you involved in your community. One of my sororities’ philanthropies is St. Jude, and I was able to meet our campus St. Jude representative. I was also able to make blankets for Project Linus, which gives blankets to children and teens across the US for emotional support. Opportunities like these and so many others have allowed me to get involved in my community and make a difference.

It is a time commitment that looks great on a resume

Being in a sorority is a time commitment that is so worth it. My sorority is a service sorority, meaning we have 3 philanthropies that we support instead of one. This means that there are a lot of commitments to these philanthropies and service opportunities. My sorority has hour requirements that correlate to certain activities in the sorority which are volunteering, fundraising, etc. You are required to meet these hours each semester to ensure that you are an active member of the sorority. There are also chapter meetings each Sunday that are required to check in with the entire chapter and get weekly updates! These requirements are no doubt something that takes discipline and commitment of your time, but even in nursing school like I am, it is manageable and worth it for sure. It also looks GREAT on those resumes!

It teaches you responsibility and accountability

Sororities have certain rules regarding your professional appearance that teach you responsibility. For most, you cannot drink alcohol while wearing your greek letters. Also, you are usually required to wear business casual to at least some chapter meetings! In addition, there are usually rules regarding who can and cannot wear the sorority’s Greek letters, as these are something that are considered an honor to wear, and not everyone gets them ;) Different regulations like these are important to maintain a professional image in a sorority and teach discipline that you will value! It is also so much fun to finally wear your letters!

You will meet your best friends

The most important aspect of a sorority is meeting your sisters! Before I rushed my sorority, I had a very small group of people that I knew at Illinois State. After rushing, my scope of people that I love and call friends has expanded so much and has allowed me to have support from so many areas. Being in a sorority allows you to meet girls with the same interests as you, the same life experiences, the same major and even DIFFERENT life experiences which gives you so many opportunities to meet your best friends. Sisterhoods, which are basically bonding opportunities, have grown my relationship with girls in my sorority and I met my best friends through Epsilon Sigma Alpha. My roommates and I decided to rush together, and we grew even closer after and got to call each other sisters. 

Rushing a service sorority was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has made me grow as a person and has given me so many opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and meet girls that I love! It has given me so many professional opportunities and resume builders that allow me to build a strong image for future jobs and schooling! So, if you are considering it, just try it! You may meet your best friends.

Lauren Smith

Illinois State '24

☆ Sophomore Nursing major at Illinois State University and Harry Styles enthusiast ☆ Follow me on social media : Instagram – @laurenvalerie02