Gone Greek

Hey everyone! These past few weeks have been insanely busy for me. Not only have I started my last quarter of my freshman year, but I also joined a sorority! "Greek letter organizations" (fraternities for boys and sororities for girls) are very popular at American universities and are a defining part of many college students' experiences. Sororities are basically an organization of girls who are called "sisters" and might live together in one sorority house or in different dorms around campus. The sorority has different girls from all undergraduate classes at the university but the girls that join the same year as you are called your "pledge class". With your sorority sisters, you go to crazy social events with fraternities, plan fun volunteer activities to support your sorority's philanthropy, and get to know your sisters really well through sisterhood bonding events. Joining a sorority is a great way to meet more people and expand your social circle while also helping your community and gaining a supportive group of girls as lifelong friends. "Greek life" is not for everyone and it is a huge time commitment. Now, I am even more swamped with schoolwork and all my added social and sisterhood events! If you are planning on joining a sorority or fraternity, make sure you have enough time in your schedule. Also, check out the specific reputations of the Greek organizations at your school to see if you fit because every school is different. For more general informations on these Greek organizations click here!

My pledge class!

Hanging with some older girls in my sorority

Some Alpha Phi girls on bid night

I recently went thorough the recruitment process for all sororities on campus, called "rush", and it was a hectic experience! Over the course of a few days, you meet with all the sororities and narrow down your choices until you find the one you belong in. It is a mutual selection process, so the girls in the sororities have to connect with you to ask you back, just like you do with them. It is a nerve-wracking process because you can only end up with one at the end, but once it is finally over you know you joined the best fit for you. I wanted a sorority that wasn't all party oriented but also focused on sisterhood and philanthropy, and I was able to find that through the sorority I joined, Alpha Phi! We have already had so many fun events. The night we got accepted was "bid night", so we had a fun dance and ice cream party and got to meet all the girls. The next day we were surprised at our rooms really early in the morning and "kidnapped" to a fun breakfast with all the girls! And during the weekend, we had a bunch of fun parties with fraternities, like our neon party you can see in pictures. Wearing fun clothes to fit the party theme is always a must!

Neon Party with my sorority

Throwing up the "AΦ" which are our Greek letters

Some schools have the recruitment process in the beginning of the school year, while Stanford has it in the spring. I liked having recruitment later, because I could meet a lot of friends outside of the Greek community before I joined. However, some people like having it at the beginning because it gives you an instant group of friends on campus! Either way, I am really glad I went through the process because I absolutely love all the girls who I can now call my sorority sisters. Greek life isn't huge at every American university, but it is definitely an important part of many U.S. college students' lives.

With the "AΦ" letters

Does your school/future school have Greek letter organizations? Would you join? Would you join a fraternity or sorority if your school offered them? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo