The Greek community is a huge part of UMD’s social scene. You can find someone rocking their letters almost anywhere on campus. But for those of us not a part of Greek life, dated events and formals are mysterious occasions. So when my roommate invited me to go to her sorority’s dated with her I jumped at the chance.
If you don’t know what a “dated” event is, it’s a slightly fancier night out at the bar where you have to be either in the sorority or a date of someone in the sorority to get in. I was a bit apprehensive to go since I didn’t know anyone, but I wanted to be a supportive date for my friend, so I went anyway.
If you brave one of these events with a girl-friend be prepared to smile and introduce yourself a few dozen times. Some of the girls might mistake you for a sister or they might ask you what sorority you’re in, just proudly tell them you are a GDI. After the initial introductions it just becomes any other girls night out especially if you know a few other girls in the sorority! Just be prepared to be a photographer for your date and her sisters.
After attending a sorority date event, I realized it’s not that mysterious. You go through the same motions as you would if you were headed to a party of to the bar. It is more fun to go to a registered party since the venue won’t be as packed and you can talk to people and make new friends. If you are thinking about joining a sorority, don’t pass up a chance to go with your friend to her sorority events, but know that you can still get some Greek experiences without joining a chapter!