There are many things that would be considerably less painful than standing in a room with over one-hundred girls and talking about majors, hobbies and fun things to do in Baltimore.
As soon as second semester of my freshman year started, I was overwhelmed by the many hours girls were devoting to discussing possible clothing, jewelry and hairstyle options for the events. I took issue with the idea of cattle-herding girls into rooms to sort them where they were deemed most fit. It was like high school cliques to the next level, in which there was actually a standard procedure to determine whether or not a girl was "cool enough." But, despite my skepticism that Formal Recruitment was nothing more than a bunch of superficial girls finding more superficial friends to expand their superficial social lives, I was also intrigued about how the process really worked. To me, Recruitment was kind of like a first-hand version of a bad reality show-you knew it was shallow but something about it made you want to keep watching.
The PanHellenic Council kept drilling the same ideas in our heads-that sororities did so much for the community, that sororities were an amazing support system, that even if you didn't end up joining a sorority you would still meet so many awesome people with whom you'd stay friends. I didn't buy it. I figured all the sorority girl stereotypes were pretty much true to form and that the Council was just trying to disprove them.
My uncertainty continued throughout Recruitment. I never decided that Greek Life was definitely for me, or that it definitely wasn't. Yes, I was skeptical and a little suspicious, but I also didn't rule it out. Many of the girls seemed interesting and fun to be around. But I didn't feel like any one sorority was definitely where I belonged, and I certainly didn't feel like sorority life was everything I was unknowingly missing out on. However, somehow I found myself at Bid Night or, as I saw it, six hours of forced bonding. We ate pizza, played getting-to-know-you games and signed our names in a very official looking book. I didn't feel any special attachment to the girls and especially didn't understand how I was expected to pay $400 to be part of a group that was still rather unfamiliar to me.
Despite my strong distaste for all the common sorority activities-icebreakers, singing, etc., I saw some benefits to being Greek. It was fun; we had formals, mixers and other activities. My social circle widened. I decided to continue pledging because I wasn't having a bad time, I just didn't get the warm, tingly feeling about sisterhood that the PanHellenic Council alluded to.
Now, a year later, I am still involved in my sorority. I never had that epiphany or light bulb moment about the wonderfulness of sorority life, but I did slowly realize that I was only seeing sororities through the eyes of my own preconceived notions. Maybe I saw sororities functioning only as something fun because that was all I was willing to see them as. I was banking too much on stereotypes. But, as I attended events and met more people, I slowly recognized that the pledging activities were only meant to catalyze deep and meaningful friendships.
Joining a sorority isn't for everyone, and even after I joined, I thought it probably wasn't for me. This is not a testimonial about how sorority life is irreplaceable. For myself, I found a niche. For others, it may not be right. There are other factors to consider and sororities are certainly not the only means of finding a close-knit community within Hopkins. But, now I am part of a group of girls who value and respect each other. We laugh; we cry; we party; we have deep conversations. Recruitment can be superficial, pledging can be uncomfortable and becoming integrated into a sorority can be sort of strange, but it works. Sorority life is not about the formals, it is not about Recruitment, it is not about finding people to introduce you to frat guys. After just a year, I realize that sororities are about friendship, support and growth. The PanHellenic Council wasn't mistaken when they talked about sisterhood; I just couldn't understand it until I had spent some significant amount of time with my new sisters.
Sorority life hasn't changed me into someone who screams and hugs my sisters every time I see them at a party. I stifle laughter whenever we all hold hands. I don't quite understand the point of having to sometimes dress up for meetings. I think it is weird and slightly unnecessary to have a secret handshake. But I do know that I am a part of something that truly is special. Just don't expect me to burst out in song.
