Sorority Obsessions and Misconceptions

Photo via Google by Talk Nerdy 2 Me

Sororities often get a bad rep because of the misconceptions brought to surface by television shows or extreme examples of specific sorority’s misbehaviors.  They are thought of being either too perky or too drama-filled.  There is no doubt that these aspects will inevitably be present, but what is often disregarded are the positive characteristics in which the sororities were founded upon.   Each sorority has different emphasis such as loyalty, service, sisterhood, ect.  Of course there are parties and other funs this associated with it, but something special that is gained is a certain kind of immediate bond that is not easily found in normal social setting that brings members close.

I just recently joined a sorority so I have not been a part of it very long, but what I have witnessed so far has been a pretty cool experience.  The girls are all sincerely interested in getting to know you.  Even if I barely know another’s name, they are being extremely generous with their time and resources by inviting me to dinner with them and driving me places.  From an outside eye looking in, this can be seen as an insincere or a fake gesture, which is fine for people to interpret it that way, but from my experiences, they are very interested in your life and trying to help you form that bond with them that they already enjoy with each other.  They want you to share in the joy that they have received from their involvement with the sorority.  The members are passionate, hard-working and focused on fulfilling the goals that the sisterhood has set for them and committed to upholding those values. And another really unique aspect is that you can basically call any one of the others members to hang out and it won’t be considered socially awkward or strange!  In normal social situations you typically want to get to know a person before you start inviting them places and what not, but here, it is different.  It is such a cool way to network and to meet new people and gain knowledge and experiences by being exposed to so many different people with different interests.  All I have to do is post on Facebook or text someone and an instant resource and friend is there.

Sororities also have the reputation of being exclusive.  I don’t mean to speak on behalf of all sororities, but I think that this idea is formed by an unnatural obsession by some to get in.  It is generally thought that if you don’t get into a sorority is was because you were not cool enough to get in.  But I think that if you don’t get in it is not because there is a certain level of “coolness” you didn’t reach, but probably because you simply didn’t show enough enthusiasm or desire to be in, or conversely, you showed an excessive amount of desire.  I do not know the process by which members are picked, so this is all speculation, but as long as you show you want to be in it and you show certain qualities that would be an attribute to the organization like leadership experience, or enthusiasm for volunteerism, you are a pretty solid candidate.  But girls rushing should not go in with the die-hard attitude that they have to get it.  First, you need to see if you like it yourself.  It is not about just them liking you, it’s also about you liking them and what their organization stands for.  Chances are if you don’t get into the sorority, you won’t want to be in their sorority anyway.  It a mutual friendship and girls rushing should go in with an open mind to all the different sorority options but also the option of not joining although because sororities do not encompass the interests of all girls.