Joining a sorority is a part of college that many girls look forward to during their freshmen year. The thought of being a part of something bigger than yourself, wearing Greek letters around campus and having socials with fraternities appears to provide you with a fulfilled college experience.
It was definitely something that I was excited to join since high school. I started the rush process, but became skeptical of the system. Personally, I didn’t feel comfortable joining something so intense after meeting girls for five minutes. And don’t get me wrong, everyone was very nice and kept reassuring me that I would end up where I belonged. But—what if I didn’t?
I quickly realized that Greek life wasn’t for me and was extremely disappointed since I had always pictured myself in a sorority. Seeing girls from my dorm floor and friends from home loving it made me concerned that I made a mistake by dropping out. I thought maybe I had done something wrong or not been open minded enough. I was scared that I was going to miss out on something that I could have potentially loved. However, I soon learned that I was not alone.
Sororities and Fraternities only make up about 25 percent of students at Penn State. That means that there is still 75 percent of the student body ready to embrace you. There is literally a club for everyone, and while you may feel like you are missing out on an aspect of college that is unique, clubs can feel like just as much of a family as Greek life.
If rushing a sorority didn’t work out for you, I can assure you that Greek life doesn’t make or break your college experience. After having been at Penn State for two years, I never regretted not joining. While I know many people who love it and have gained so much from it, Penn State has a lot more to offer.
And if it turns out that Greek life is still something you want to pursue, rushing your sophomore year is a great alternative. That being said, I encourage freshman—whether or not you became involved in Greek life— to check out other organizations and clubs. Because why would anyone want to isolate themselves from 75 percent of Penn State?
Get involved, it doesn’t matter with what, because you are guaranteed to be much happier surrounded by a group of Penn Staters.
