Advantages of Living in the Sorority

There are Many Advantages of Living in the House
Not only are there privileges, but advantages as well...

Living in a sorority house is like having a constant support system at all times. This was one of the biggest advantages I personally had with living in my sorority house. Having a support system something felt intuitively; it is hard to explain in words but it is something everyone understands. When I lived in my house, girls were always there for me to back me up no matter what. I remember one night i was crying outside because I was upset about school and was having a terrible day. It was winter outside and I didn't have a coat on. One of the girls in my house heard me crying and came outside to sit next to me. She put a coat around me and asked me what was wrong; we talked for an hour. She had a test the next day but didn't even care; I was what was more important at that time. That was an unexplainable feeling; I couldn't believe someone would actually care about me that much. Sororities are a huge bond of friends that won't let anything happen to each other. No matter what; you will have people behind you at any time, for any reason.

Your friends will always be by your side. Now that I live in an apartment, my sorority sisters are scattered around different parts of campus. Living in the house, they were just a second away down the hallway. This was amazing because I got to see them whenever I wanted; when you live together it makes everything easier and brings you closer to your friends. I think this is why they call us "sisters."

A huge advantage of living in the house is that you will never be lonely. I know living in the dorms I would get depressed sometimes because I would miss my family or feel like I didn't get to see my friends enough. Living in the sorority you will constantly be surrounded by people and I can guarantee that you will never be lonely. I know a lot of college students who feel alone and get really depressed; especially when school starts up and they have a huge work load. Living with all of your sisters you will go through everything together; the ups and the downs and the good times and the bad times. You can talk it out with them and feel better if you are lonely, sad or frustrated.

Being able to share things from your sorority sisters is really fun too. Living in the house, I think I wore my own clothes only a couple times on the weekends! It is like having a huge closet to pick from; everyone shares everything. It is fun getting ready with a house house of girls, too. I get alone now in my apartment on the weekends and it isn't nearly as fun.

It is really nice not having to leave to go to the sorority when you live there. For example, when you first join you have to walk to the house for chapter when you have it every week and you have to find a way there if there is an event going on at your sorority. This can be a pain if no one is available to pick you up. Living in the house you never have to worry about that because you are already there!

You also always know what is going on in the sorority. When you don't live in the sorority, you sometimes don't get fully informed about what is going on. My sorority would e-mail us about events and remind us at chapter. But, if you miss chapter, aren't paying attention or don't check your e-mail you might forget about these things if no one reminds you. You are always informed when you live in the sorority!

Privileges of Living in the Sorority House

You Will Receive Special Privileges Living in the House
Living in a sorority is a lot different than living in an apartment or dorm...

I bet you are wondering how living in a sorority is different than living anywhere else on your campus. Well, I am going to tell you a few things that you are going to like! First of all, you get special privileges that most college kids won't get through their four years of college. It may be different at certain schools (which if you haven't noticed by now, many things are). One of the first privileges you will receive living in the sorority house is that you will get a cook!! This was one of my personal favorite parts of living in the house. Your cook will make every meal for you- and put up a menu every week of what is going to be served. You can even request certain things you would want to have cooked for you if you don't like what is on the menu or if you area allergic to something. If you are late for any meal, you can sign up for a "late plate" and the cook will save you a plate for later. This is how it worked at my school, at least. Having a cook is awesome because dorm food is the same all the time and is pretty unhealthy. Our cook made meals that were pretty healthy and they were always different so I never got sick of them. He was a really nice guy too and we became good friends :) Another good thing about having a cook is that you never have to go grocery shopping! I live in an apartment now, and I always have to go grocery shopping and cook my own meals. It is a lot harder; especially because I am not a good cook at all! Having someone make every meal for me spoiled me and I wish I had it again this year!

Another privilege you will receive is having a maid. Yep, I said it; a maid. For my sorority, our maid cleaned every day. This was amazing because our house was constantly clean and I never worried about having to clean if I expected someone! Now that I live in an apartment it is a reality check because I have to constantly clean because no one is doing it for me. Our maid was really nice and made sure the dishes were done, vacuuming was done, and everything else in between. I guess you can say we relied on her a little too much, because if she was sick for a day the house got messy! It is also nice to have a maid because living in the dorms no one cleaned for me either and I had to take care of myself. However, it is nice to take on your own responsibility from time to time- in the real world most people do not have cleaning ladies!

There are many other privileges that go along with living in the sorority house. First of all, old homework and tests are saved every year from girls that have lived in the house. In my sorority, there was a study room that you could sit in if you didn't want to go to the library. ( Some girls in my house hated going to the library). Sometimes I didn't like to go to the library if it was crowded or too loud. Having a separate room in the sorority to study was a really nice way to not leave my house and be able to get some quiet time in to study. Also- the library closes at my school at 2 a.m. If I wanted to study more I could go sit in our study room. As I said earlier, old tests and homework are saved from previous members. This is an amazing privilege because if you have taken classes other members have with the same teachers, you will be able to study from their old homework or tests if you are confused on certain areas. Many people do not have this privilege.

Another privilege is that living in the sorority gives you a lot of space. Depending on what school you go to/sorority you are in, houses are typically pretty big. Mine had a basement, living room and upstairs. If I wanted to get away I would sit in our living room or T.V. room and just hang out. I never had that privilege when I lived in the dorms; I was confined to one tiny room at all times which could sometimes get on my nerves and my roomate and I would fight.

When you live in the sorority house fraternities will drop off presents at times just because. I remember our fraternity neighbors making us treats and dropping them off. It was also nice being able to walk next door and hang out with fraternity guys. Girls can be appointed as "DD" which stands for designated driver. When you live in the house, you can sign up for this job on the weekends and get paid for it. Each member pays between $1-2 for a ride and it is a safe way for Greeks to get around. A lot of people who are non-greek will have to walk or call a cab which costs even more money.

Information on Living in the Sorority House

Basic Information on Living in a Sorority House!
Here are some things you might want to know!!

When you join a sorority, you will most likely be a freshman. As a new member, you will be living in the dorms but will be required to live in the sorority the following year. At some schools, you have to live in the sorority for more than one year; but at my school it is only required for one year. However, if you hold a position in the sorority (president, secretary, etc.) you have to live in the year you hold the position also. Holding a position is called being on the executive board.

Like I said earlier, if you are a new member, you are required to live in the house the first year after you live in the dorms. I never knew why they made new members do this; but I figured it out after my first year living in the house. Living in the sorority allowed me to get so close to every girl in my pledge class. Think about it; if you are living in a house with 40+ girls that you see every day, you are going to get close to them whether you like it or not. I shared a room with two girls that I got pretty close to when I first joined; but sharing a room with them for an entire year turned us into best friends. This sounds cheesy, but I really did feel like they were my sisters. We did everything together. I remember just laying in our beds talking until 4 in the morning about everything and anything.

Living in the sorority is a great way to get out of the dorms. You always know what is going on socially; think about it... if you are living with 40+ girls, you will always know where parties are or what people are doing over the weekend. It is such a social thing living in the sorority. It is also a great way to get out of the dorms. Some people enjoy living in the dorms, but it all depends on the floor you get. I remember my dorm sophomore year (I lived in the sororitiy house as a junior because I joined as a sophomore). My dorm was horrible and depressing. Just the set up of it was totally unsocial and I found myself actually being depressed at times. Living in the sorority my junior year was a breath of fresh air; I knew EVERYONE in the entire house and never felt lonely or depressed. It was also a lot cleaner than the dorms and I could walk around without any makeup on in my towel not having to worry about what people would think or boys on my floor seeing me!

Living in my sorority was actually cheaper than living in the dorms. I am not sure if this is how it is at every school, but this is how it was at my school. So not only was living in the house great socially, but it was a way to save money at the same time. Everything is paid for at once, including food, utilities, etc.

Moving into the sorority is also SO MUCH EASIER than moving into the dorms. Think about when you moved into your dorm. I know my experiences with moving into dorms has been horrible... you have to wait for an elevator and there are SO many people doing the same thing as you. It can take hours and is so frustrating and takes many trips going up and down since you have to use the elevator. It was one of the worst experiences I have had in college! When I moved into my sorority house, I could NOT believe how easy it was. First of all, there are only girls moving in and they do not all move in at the same time. It took me about a half hour to move all of my stuff in max. There was no waiting for elevators, crowded lines, etc. I couldn't have been happier about my move in. Also, other girls in the house will help you move in so it won't take as long!

Sorority houses also move in a week before anyone else on campus does (except for people who live in apartments). This is another reason move in is so easy because people are not around yet so there isn't any traffic and crowded lines. Moving in early is a benefit because you get to set up your things and not have to worry about it; you also get to relax for a week before school starts up and classes get serious.

Involvement With Fraternities

So, You Want To Meet More Guys on Campus??
Well then...you did the right thing by joining a sorority!

A lot of girls have a hard time meeting guys on campus-especially if they are shy! I know I was shy my freshman year, and I had a bad floor in the dorm I lived in which didn't make it any easier on me. When you join a sorority, you not only get close to the members in your chapter, but you get close to fraternity men as well. Many events are planned for Greek members to get to know each other. I remember the first night (Bid Night) when I got into my sorority. My house was located next door to a fraternity on campus. When we ran to our house, the fraternity men were outside of our house with roses to welcome us (since we would be their neighbors the next year.) I was excited to see this because there were about 40 guys outside! I knew it was going to be a great year.

One of the most fun events planned is actual Big Night, which is planned about a month after you get into your sorority. At my school, it consists of two sororities and two fraternities who get together and go out and have fun together. All of the houses on campus do this and it is different who you go with every year. I remember when I went. I had so much fun because I met more people that night than I had my first month in college alone!

Events are planned with fraternities to raise money and volunteer. For example, some fraternities and sororities get together to help others in need by coming up with events to raise money. My sorority planned a car wash with the fraternity who lived next door to us. We also had spaghetti dinner where all of the fraternities come over and pay to eat; we they donate this money for a good cause. Even when I would go to class wearing my Greek letters, I would be approached by guys in my class who were in a fraternity. They would tell me they were in one and then we would be class buddies... we would study together and help each other out in class. Through this we would become friends.

Big brother night is also an exciting night planned for new members. It was one of my personal favorite nights. Every sorority is appointed a "Big brother frat." This means that every new member gets what is called a "Big brother." It is just like having a big sister, except it is from a fraternity. When my sorority had Big Brother Night, we all got together to hang out. I did not know who my big brother was until the end of the night, and when I found out we both exchanged presents. Through this we formed a good relationship and I knew I could always count on him. He would invite me to fun events and this allowed me to get to know the other members in his fraternity.

Exchanges are one of the last, but not least, things that are planned between sororities and fraternities. These are planned by position chairs in each sorority and fraternity. They are about once a week where one sorority and fraternity house get together to hang out and get to know one another. It is such a fun time and really a good way to get to know each house on campus.

Fraternity guys will become some of your closest guy friends on campus. There is something special about Greek life; when you are in a house it is a special bond that you share with each member of each house whether you notice it or not. I personally am still very close to a lot of fraternity guys that I met freshman year. I can see these relationships lasting for a lifetime; something I might have never had unless I joined a sorority.

Involvement With Other Sorority Members!

How Do You Get Close To Other Girls?
Don't worry, they make sure this happens for you ;)

You may be asking yourself, "Isn't it intimidating to talk to older girls in the sorority once you are recruited?" I know you will be thinking this, because I thought the exact same thing when I became a member of my sorority. I remember looking around and being scared to talk to older members because they all seemed so confident; they all knew everything about the sorority already and were all so close. I had just met my pledge class so it was awkward looking at all of the older girls laugh and joke around while my pledge class and I were trying to get to know one another.

Every sorority will have different ways for you to get to know older/younger members in your chapter. Your sorority will organize events so you will be able to get to know others. For example, for my sorority, each new member was assigned a "Big Sister" and a "Rose Buddy." A Rose buddy is the first older member you meet in your house; well, this is how it went for me. On Bid-Night when you find out what sorority you have been accepted into, you run back to the house and find out who your Rose Buddy is. They wait for you there with presents and are basically the person you ask questions to and get to know. They are basically there to back you up and make you feel comfortable. This is how it was for my sorority at least.

Big Sisters are even more exciting to have. When you find out who your Big Sister is, she is meant to be the one who guides you. She is there for you to call if you are feeling down, she is there if you have ANY problems with the sorority, and she basically is your sister- (If you have any blood related sisters, think of her as this). I remember my big sister, Lisa. She did everything for me... from picking me up from my dorm every Sunday so I didn't have to walk to chapter to taking me out with her when I had no one to go out with. She would invite me to the sorority just to hang out... and have sleepovers. She was my guidance and my wing. I would have been scared to talk to her if she wasn't my "Big Sister." It is really great that every girl gets one of these. Once you get your Big Sister, you meet all of her friends in the sorority as well and then become close with them. Once you become an older member and new girls are accepted, you will become the big sister. It is fun to be able to take a new member under your wing and show her the ropes. When I wasn't a new member anymore and got appointed a little sister, it made me feel happy that I could make a member feel comfortable and wanted. I would buy her presents for no reason and make sure she was happy.

Some sororities take it to the level where you can have "Moms" and "Grandparents." This goes beyond having a sister so you can have not only a sister but even older members in the sorority to talk to. I think this is a great idea so you can branch out to other members that are not just one year above you, but two or three years above you. It can be intimidating to talk to a senior member when you are just a freshman; but with ideas like this it is really helpful.

Gifts of appreciation are also given to big/little sisters; and sometimes just to other member who you look up to. For example, in my sorority, they told us to think of one person we really looked up to and appreciated that we didn't know that well who was older. They then told us to make them a paddle explaining why we appreciated them. I made one for an older girl who was always nice to me but I never got the opportunity to talk to that much. I idolized her because of the way she volunteered in the community and genuinely cared about others. I made her a paddle telling her this and by the look on her face I could tell it made her day. It was not only a sign of appreciation; but a sign of respect and love.

What to Expect as a First Year Member

There are Ups and Downs to Being a First Year Member...
But mostly ups ;)

NEW MEMBER INFORMATION

Your first year as a new member will be the most overwhelming. When you are accepted into the house you are brand new and don't know what to expect; it can be a little scary especially with all of the older members who are already in the house. Since you will be new to the program you won't know anything yet. But don't worry, because you will learn everything in a short amount of time and your first year will fly by before you know it; I know mine did. The older members in the house make sure you are taken care of and that you learn everything about your sorority.

Being a new member you will get spoiled the most. You will receive more gifts than any other year from girls in the house since you are a new member. I remember getting everything from t-shirts to candles the first night I became a new member. There was a big tub of things waiting for me at the sorority when I got there. Everyone is so nice and they just want you to be happy.

Being a new member, I remember having the most fees to pay. This is the only discouragement I remember having being a new member. You have to buy certain things and it can get a little expensive if you have to pay for it on your own. However, when your first year is over you don't pay nearly as much.

A lot of you are probably wondering what initiation is like as a new member... I am sure many of you have heard different stories. I wish I could tell you, but it is a secret :) However, I can tell you that it is an amazing experience and you have nothing to be afraid about. I am sure a lot of you have heard of hazing; but it is not allowed to go on and if it does sororities could be banned from the school so you have nothing to worry about in that area.

A really good part about being a first year member is that most of the events are planned for you. This is because the older girls want the new girls to bond and get to know one another just as they have. I remember going to so many sisterhoods as a new member and it really worked out to my benefit. I didn't need to go to half of the events I went to my last year in my sorority because I wasn't a new member anymore. The events planned as a first year member are the most fun, too. I remember having sleepovers at the sorority house with some of the girls in my pledge class and some of the older girls too. Your first year will be the fastest year out of all of them so make the best out of it and make as many memories of it as you can.

Recruitment Information

You are Probably Wondering How Recruitment Works...
How do you know where to begin?

RECRUITMENT

Recruitment is one of the most fun parts of joining a sorority. I will tell you a little bit about how it worked where I go to school; I hear it is very similar at every school. You will first be given a recruitment counselor after you sign up on-line. You will be paired with a group of about 10 girls. You will then meet with them and get to know them. At your school they will probably have a place where sorority events go on; your group will go there along with tons of other groups of girls who will be going through recruitment.

Each day, different events occur. You go to about 4 houses a day to look at them and see if you like them. You pick what houses are your favorite at the end of each day and the houses can also drop you at any time. The first day is going on house tours just to take a look at the houses and talk to girls in the house to see if you like them and if they like you. The second day is learning about their philanthropy and it is a little bit longer. You watch movies and they give you an exercise to do invonving their philanthropy. The lasy day is the most formal. At mine, all the girls had to wear a black dress. You then decide if you want to stick with the sorority you have been with the whole time or if you want a different one. This is the mose serious day of all because it is getting closer to when you have to decide which sorority you will choose. At the end of the last day, you put down your number one pick. You can also put down a second choice just incase your number one doesn't pick you.

The next night all of the girls meet and there are envelopes on all of the tables with every girls name on it. They tell everyone to open the envelopes at the same time, and it is then when you see if you got the sorority you wanted or not. It is a great feeling when you see the same you wanted to see since day one. You then run around finding other girls that got picked in the same sorority as you. When I did it, we all ran to our sorority house together screaming and when we got there it was a huge welcoming party for us with food. We all talked and got to know each other and see the house again.

I personally did not like the whole idea of recruitment because I felt like it wasn't me. It almost felt a bit fake to me; but maybe that is only because I was talking to so many people and got asked the same question so many times. A lot of girls don't like recruitment, and if you don't like the idea of it you should wait until your sophomore year to see if it is really something you would want to do. By doing this, you will get to see what kind of reputation each sorority has a little better and them make a decision off of what you know.

Membership Responsibilities

Because it ALL Can't be Fun...
Sorority members take on certain roles and responsibilities within the chapter

CHAPTER ATTENDANCE

As a sorority member, you will be required to attend chapter once a week. Chapter is when the whole sorority gets together to discuss weekly events, problems, issues and dues. Chapter is also a time for members to express any concerns or bring up any new ideas they have for the sorority. It is a time where members are informed of upcoming events and any money they might owe to the sorority for these events. Chapter usually only takes about an hour and is actually pretty fun since everyone is together. It is very important that everyone is in attendance so no one is confused or misses out on any important information.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PHILANTHROPIC EVENTS

Being in a sorority, you will have to complete certain hours of community service per semester. This is a realy great way to give back to the community and it shows that sororities arent meant for just partying. You have to fill out a sheet and give it to the person in charge of community service. For my sorority, I only had to complete 3-4 hours a semester which was really fun and a good experience for me. It was something new that made me feel good about myself.

Philanthropic events are a lot of fun. They are a way to raise money for people in need. In my sorority, we have an event called Dream Man where the fraternities compete in a talent show. People pay to come watch and it is a lot of fun. The money is donated to children who are hearing impaired. Not only is the actual event fun, but knowing where the money is going is even more rewarding. We also have what is called a spaghetti dinner at our sorority house. We invite all of the fraternity houses over and our cook makes a ton of spaghetti and the fraternity boys come over at different times and pay for the food. This money is usually given to our sorority's dues.

MEETING FINANCIAL COMITTMENTS

You will need to pay certain financial comittments to be in the sorority. It differs for every school what your monthly dues are, but at my school living in the sorority was cheaper than living in the dorms. You also have to pay for formals and dances that are not included in your regular monthly dues.

KEEPING GOOD ACADEMIC STANDARDS

It is important in every sorority to keep good grades. At my school, if you don't have above a 2.5 GPA then you can't participate in certain events and can't vote on certain issues regarding the sorority. This is a good thing because it pushes members of the sorority to keep a good GPA. Also, when you first apply to get into a sorority you have to put your GPA. If if is not at the required standard for that school, a lot of sororities won't take you. The good thing is that many sororities have what is called "study hours." This is when the academics chair of the sorority goes to the library and sits with girls who are in academic probation. The girls are required to go until they are off of academic probation.

Sorority Social Events

Have You Ever Wondered What Sororities Do For Fun?
There are many planned events and activities sororities plan throughout the year.

FORMAL

Formal is by far one of the most fun social events that sororities plan. Think back to your senior year of prom. Did you have an amazing time? Well, if you did, you will be able to do it all over again if you join a sorority. Each girl in the sorority gets to ask a date to bring to a planned formal dance. There is food, dancing and fun all night. When I went to mine, I had a great time. I sat at a table with all of my friends and their dates. It is something I will never forget. There are also awards passed out at formal to recognize girls who were outsdanding sorority members. It is something that not all college girls get to do, so having an experience like going to formal is an amazing time.

OTHER DANCES

During the year your sorority may plan other dances as well. My sorority planned a dance called "Crush Dance." This dance was more casual than formal. It is just a good time to have fun with your friends. A lot of girls don't even bring dates; they simply go by themselves just to have a great time with everyone. Sometimes if a girl can't find a date then two of the sorority sisters will go together as friends instead and have just as much fun.

Another dance held is called "Barndance." This is one of the most fun dances of the whole year. The whole sorority brings dates and we get on a bus and go to a farm. (I know, it sounds a little ridiculous doesn't it?) All of the girls and guys are dressed up like cowgirls and cowboys. The music is country at the barn and everyone dances the whole night and has a great time. It is something different and that is why it is so much fun!


SISTERHOODS

Sisterhoods are a big part of being in a sorority. They are planned events for all of the girls to get together and hang out. It can be as simple as one sorority getting together and going out to eat, or two different sororities planning something such as bowling to get to know one another better. Sisterhoods are a really great part of being in a sorority because it allows you to talk to some of the girls that you may not be as close to. That is why sororities are so close; so many events are planned that it is nearly impossible not to get to know everyone. One of the best sisterhoods I went to was when my sorority went out to Alexander's Steakhouse for dinner. It was a really fun time because they were the girls I don't get to talk to as often. A lot of times we will just get together to go out for ice cream, too.

These are only some of the events that sororities do and they differ from sorority to sorority. They are all a great experience and something that every girl loves.

How Do You Know if a Sorority is Right for You?

You may be asking yourself, "Would I fit into a sorority, or is it something I should pass up?" Whether you are about to graduate high school and enter college, or if you are currently in college deciding if you still might want to join one or not, this website will give you some helpful tips to let you see if it is something you would like. Going into my college career I wasn't sure if I would fit into a sorority or not. I didn't join until my sophomore year in college to see how I liked college without it first. My first year as a freshman was fun, but I wanted to meet more people since I didn't have that great of a dorm. Being in a sorority is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have decided to take everything I have learned from my sorority and help others who may be undecided of whether to join or not. You will enjoy being in a sorority if you...

• Like meeting new people
• Want to have tons of friends in college
  
• Enjoyed going to dances and formals in high school
  
• Like attending events with boys your age
• Enjoy Helping charity
• Won't mind living in a house with 30+ girls (depending on the chapter)
• Want to have close friendships for the rest of your life
• Will like having a support system
• Enjoy being spoiled by having someone cook and clean for you
  
• Have responsibility
• Want to take an active role at your school
• Want to have a good resume when you leave college
• Are willing to put in extra time
  

These are only some of the things you should consider about yourself if you are thinking about joining a sorority. Some of these bulletpoint items have been my favorite part of the sorority...such as having a support system and taking an active role at my school.

Stereotypes: Are you Scared of What People Will Think?

Another reason some girls aren't sure if a sorority is right for them is because of the stereotypes that come along with them. A lot of times people think that sorority girls just party all of the time and don't do anything else. They may also think girls just join sororities to "buy their friends," because they couldn't make them any other way. It is true that some girls party but one of the best parts about joining is that there is always going to be girls just like you. If you want to stay in one night, there will be plenty of other who will want to stay in. If you want to go out for a little bit, girls will be there too. I personally didn't join because I was having trouble making friends; I wanted to make more friends. It is a great way to branch out and meet a completely new group of people you may never have met before.

Interested Yet? How to Know Which Sorority is Best for You

You might be wondering which sorority would be the best one for you. In all honesty it is a personal decision, and everyone can feel differently about what they want. When I went through recruitment, I chose the sorority that I felt the most comfortable in. The girls seemed real to me and I could imagine myself becoming close to a lot of them. I did not want to leave the house when I went for recruitment; I think that was a big sign. Try to imagine yourself hanging out with these girls on a daily basis. Can you see yourself laughing, crying and spending every day with them? If not then it is probably not the right house for you. There are many sororities to go through and I am sure there is a good fit for every girl who would consider joining.