No matter how Greek life functions on a campus, there are certain stereotypes that surround being in a sorority. Sororities aren’t for everyone, but I’m always curious to find out when and why women join sororities during their undergraduate years. Most people see first- and second-years going through the formal recruitment process, but Davis has an open community that welcomes womxn at any stage of their undergraduate lives.
As a first-year, Elizabeth von Klan knew she wanted to be a part of Greek life at Davis. When I asked her how she decided to join Alpha Chi Omega as a freshman, she said, “I really enjoyed coming into college with that solid foundation to help me get on my feet.” She remarked that being in her sorority means she “always has something to look forward to,” and that she feels she has recognized her own self-worth by being a part of her organization.
Allison Moody decided to go through the recruitment process as a second-year here at Davis. She said that she waited until her sophomore year because “I wasn’t sure if sorority life was for me, probably due to the stereotypes you see on TV and in the media and hear from people growing up.” Allison added that she delayed joining Kappa Kappa Gamma until her second year because she also “wanted to adjust to college life without the pressure of an extra commitment.” She said that her favorite part of being in a sorority is that she feels she’s a part of “a group of women who are smart, social, and strong, determined to reach our goals and do it as a team, as a family.”
I was excited to hear from Maris Bouc, a third-year student who is a pledge for Alpha Phi. She had a few reasons for waiting until her third year to go through recruitment, and explained that “Timing was the biggest factor… Freshman year, I was on the rowing team, which was mentally and physically the most exhausting thing I have ever done. Sophomore year, I had a time-consuming internship. Finally, this year, I felt like I had enough time and energy to make an impact on my sorority and make the most of my opportunities.” Maris added that even though she’s still getting to know the girls in her sorority, she has met “some of the most incredible women,” and that she loves being “a part of a smaller group on such a large campus.”
I got some interesting insight from Carmen Huboi and Madison Williams, both fourth-year students who transferred to Davis their junior year. They’re both currently pledges for Delta Delta Delta. Carmen said that she knew wanted to join a sorority but felt “completely overwhelmed” by the combination of settling into a new university campus as well as the formal recruitment process. While she got involved on campus in other ways, such as joining a research team and studying abroad, she “still felt like something was missing.” Carmen said she decided to keep an open mind and give recruitment another chance for her second year here at Davis. She said joining her sorority “has changed my perspective on what makes a strong leader, a caring friend, and a powerful woman.”
Madison similarly “wanted the sense of community at school” after she transferred from her previous college. She said that coming into Davis as a transfer made it “hard to make the dozens of friends” that many students have after the traditional first year in the dorms. However, “moving schools, interning, and adjusting to the pace of the quarter system” made it difficult to commit to the effort of recruitment. Madison was working on an internship for the Governor’s Office the past year, but decided to go through recruitment her second year here on campus. She loved that joining gave her a “tight-knit support system and a place to call home.”
Five diverse womxn gave me their stories on how and when they decided to join their sororities. While their reasons for joining when they did vary greatly, one thing’s for sure: they found the exact right place for themselves in the Davis Greek system!