<p>Are sororities similar to how they are depicted in movies? You know wealthy, bitchy, cliquey girls who just party all the time?
I know that is the sterotype but is any part of it accurate? I hope I’m not offending anyone. I just want to know if it is worth joining one.</p>
<p>Yes, and no.</p>
<p>First of all, think about the way that movies and television shows depict things that you are familiar with - maybe small town life, or city life, or going to college or high school in general. Do you find that the depictions are accurate? However accurate you think movies and TV is about your own experiences, that’s how (in)accurate they probably are about things you haven’t experienced. Shows are meant to entertain us by exaggerating reality in a dramatic way. Nobody wants to watch a movie about a group of women who gets along and plays nice from the beginning - there’s no conflict, no drama.</p>
<p>Sororities are like any other group of people - they’re diverse, and there are different types of women who join sororities. It also varies a lot by school and by sorority. On some campuses, there might be the “wealthy, cliquey” ABC sorority and the “down-to-earth” XYZ sorority; even those stereotypes may be partially inaccurate. And on another campus, XYZ might be the pretty cliquey girls and ABC might be the down-to-earth girls. In big enough chapters, there are probably lots of different types of women in the chapter - the kind who sports Lilly Pulitzer at football games and the kind who tailgates out the back of the truck (and the kind who does both; they’re not mutually exclusive). Where you go to school is also going to change the culture. Being in a sorority at an SEC school like Alabama or UGA is different from being in a sorority at a school like Penn State; and participating in a very small, quiet Greek culture where only 10% of students are Greek is different from participating in a loud, raucous Greek culture where 40% of students are Greek.</p>
<p>So basically…whether or not it’s worth it is going to depend a lot on 1) your personality and priorities and desires; 2) the sorority you ultimately end up joining; and 3) the campus on which your sorority life takes place.</p>
<p>If you are interested in joining a National Panhellenic Council (NPC) sorority (most of the well-known, traditionally white sororities belong to this council), you should know that these groups hold a formal sorority rush week precisely for this reason. Rush week is an opportunity for you to learn about the sororities and for them to learn about you, and for you to decide whether sorority life is something that might be for you. During the week you visit multiple sorority houses - usually on the first day you visit them all, and then each successive day you visit fewer and fewer until finally, you receive a bid to one (or not). This gives you an opportunity to meet the women in the sorority, and for you to decide which ones you can see yourself in - but also, whether they want you as a sister. But they will also make presentations about the kinds of activities and things they do, so you can hear more about what their lives are like.</p>
<p>Moreover, let’s say you go through Rush and you do get a bid. There’s usually a new member period you go through before you are initiated into the sorority. It’s usually a few months (like a semester, sometimes) where you get the opportunity to experience sorority life without being initiated into a sorority. It’s like a trial membership! You can see whether you like it. If you don’t, you can decide not to be initiated (often called “depledging”). You could even try again for a different sorority at a future Rush, although at some places it’s difficult to get a second bid.</p>
<p>Really liked juilets reply to this, but I figured I’d give personal insight as well coming from someone who didn’t join a sorority and attends a frat/sorority based school. </p>
<p>It truly depends on yourself and your priorities. I rushed for a business fraternity that was co-ed and shared an apartment with girls who rushed for social sororities instead. It depends on the type of person you are and if you want to make that commitment. Every sorority is different, but my roommate decided to go pre-med and she was also in a sorority and it was not a good mix before she transferred to our school. She said she really just grew out of the way her sorority was and didn’t really enjoy partying and drinking all the time. </p>
<p>As for me I just didn’t feel connected to the people and I didn’t like the fake formalities. And most people know that the initial contact while friendly and welcoming won’t be the case for the entire semester. </p>
<p>Girls are going to be catty and girls are going to be nice, so you’re going to have to remember that balance when you have your first negative experience. It’s also good to remember that sororities are not free and what most people who are against frat life will say is that you’re basically paying your way in for friends. And depending on where you go to college the dues can be quite expensive. </p>
<p>But you know some people fall in love with it. It just depends on if you’ll be able to handle it with school work and if you’ll find these are the type of people you want to be around. </p>
<p>I knew from the get go I wouldn’t want to be in a sorority and unfortunately my roommate and I do not get along with a sorority housemates. </p>
<p>But I’ve seen a lot of friends enjoy it. Test the waters if you’re that interested and back out if you realize it’s not a good decision. </p>
<p>Movies make Greek life look extreme because that’s how they make money. It’s not like that in real life. If you want to do it right join a NPC sorority because they are well known and you will have great bond and connections during school and when you’re an alumni on the school or national level. </p>
<p>I’m a freshman who has dreamed of joining a sorority her whole life!!! With that being said…they are not at all like the movies (honestly i can say that i WANTED them to be!) The girls are not bitchy…unless you’re not in their sorority, then they have no interest in you. But if you are, or if they think you really want to be in it, they’re so nice. As soon as you tell them you aren’t joining though they won’t care for you honestly. my advice would be to go out with one and see for yourself. Most of them don’t have good personalities, which makes sense as to why those types of people are in sororities, because they wouldn’t make friends unless they were thrown into a group of girls and told they had to be their friend. (NOT saying all sorority girls are like that! just saying from experience that the ones i have met at my school definitely are!) It’s a huge commitment. </p>
<p>Now the partying is DEFINEITLEY not like what you’d see in the movies…you always see them partying in nice big houses with hot frat guys. No way!!! Frat guys are RARELY hot…they’re usually chubby and weird looking/very very creepy. The stereotype that greek life is for people who can’t make friends without buying them is so true for the fraternities especially. The frat houses/mixers that you will be required to attend by joining the sorority, are really disgusting. They’re dirty and not fun parties. The only bonus is that they give you free alcohol, but the alcohol is always dirt cheap and completely disgusting. The houses have no furniture in them, and the bathrooms are ALWAYS disgusting, don’t even THINK about going pee there! If you like to dance in a loud sweaty dark dirty house with random frat boys that are not cute, then mixers are the type for you. What i could compare greek party life to is going to a run down disgusting sketchy club with people you don’t want to be out with, but are forced to because your sorority said so. </p>
<p>the good thing about joining a sorority is that you will have a loyal group of friends. That’s something i have wanted my whole life but when it came down to it i didn’t want to be friends with people anyways if they only would hang out with me if i payed to be in their club. </p>
<p>If you’re at a prestigious school where the greek life is prestigious, then i would definielty join. If not, i would say it’s not worth it. Good luck!</p>