Before I even rushed or knew anything about it, I thought being in a sorority was like a second job in college. Realistically, it isn’t. You have so much free time outside of participating in a sorority that I sometimes forget I’m even in one. If you’re interested in rush and worried about the time commitment or just plain curious, continue reading!
You Have a Lot of Free Time
Being in a sorority is like being in a club (but with financial and academic requirements), so the amount of time you have to spare is about the same. This also depends on the rest of your extracurricular activities, the workload of your major, and how involved you are in Greek life. Personally, I’m in two clubs, a human biology major, and involved in my sorority and greek life and I find that it is manageable. I’m able to juggle my sorority and extracurricular activities along with my academics so that I don’t feel that I’m overworking myself. Of course, there were definitely some days that I felt overwhelmed. It also depends on the month since sorority recruitment is pretty busy and stressful during the fall semester. During sorority recruitment, events are mandatory to attend unless otherwise specified so you for sure have to work your schedule and course load around them.
It Opens Up So Many Doors For You
Being in a sorority isn’t just about the sisterhood and memories – it is also about lifelong friendships and connections you’ll have once you leave college. Say you’re looking for a job and discover another sister from another chapter is hiring in that field. You instantly have a special connection with her and it provides a great conversation starter for you. She’ll remember you because of your connection and hopefully, this will give you a boost of confidence once you leave the interview! I remember one of my sorority sisters shared that one of her internship coordinators was a fellow sister as well and she eventually found an internship for the summer.
There are So Many Leadership Opportunities
When I say there are many opportunities, I truly mean many. It may seem impossible to pick and choose and at first! But, I looked into each position my sorority offered and determined which ones I was more interested in. For me, philanthropy and fraternity heritage was what drew me because I joined mainly because of their philanthropy and I strongly love my sorority’s history. You definitely aren’t restricted to your sorority, and Greek life offers so much more than what first meets the eye.
You Grow
I was that person in school that was picked last for everything, but having found a home at Michigan State and being involved in my sorority, Greek life has opened so many doors for me. It provides a small community at a big campus like MSU and makes me feel like I’m actually having a positive impact on my community. I’ve been able to take advantage of 3 leadership positions after I was initiated in my sorority and I’m so happy I did. If you think it’s too early or now’s just not the right time, I suggest running for a leadership position! You’ll never know unless you try it, and if you don’t get it, that’s okay! I ran for a leadership position in my sorority even though I knew I wasn’t going to get it. Why? I interviewed for it to express my interest in leadership and the position I was interested in. The people interviewing you will recognize your leadership potential and might see you as a better candidate for a different position. So don’t worry if you don’t get a position you were hoping to get because the interviewers are looking out for both you and the chapter. Besides, you’ll always have a place in your sorority, Greek life, and the MSU community!