I have never considered myself a sorority type of girl; I am an introvert by nature, so the idea of being surrounded by a group of 30 plus girls made my anxiety go through the roof. And, after the horrifying pledging experiences I watched my friends go through at the university I attended prior to the University of New Haven, I had a bad taste in my mouth about Greek life altogether. However, after one of my best friends recently joined one of UNH’s very own sororities and shared her experience with me, my opinion on them has changed drastically.
When my friend first told me she was going to rush, I am ashamed to say that I was completely unsupportive. I tried to convince her not to, saying it would be a waste of time and unnecessary stress that she didn’t need or deserve. She told me that she wanted to join because she wanted to be part of the bond that she saw all the sisters sharing and I, ignorantly, equated that to “paying for friends.” I thought if these girls really wanted to be friends with her, they would do so regardless of if she joined their organization or not.
What I failed to realize was that the whole process of joining a sorority was part of that bonding experience. As the weeks progressed, I expected my friend to be getting tired and annoyed of the process, but instead, she was falling in love with it and growing happier and more confident everyday. When I asked her about it she said, “This is one of the best experiences because not only did I get to meet the new members of my class, but I got to really know and appreciate the sisters of the sorority in a way I never thought I would.” She also described that, for the first time, she felt she could be truly herself without worrying about anyone judging her because she knew she had the support of so many great people behind her.
Admitting you are wrong is never an easy thing to do, but this is one of those times where I completely “put my foot in my mouth,” so to speak. Everything I ever said or thought about Greek life has been proven wrong through my friend’s experiences. It seems to me that at UNH, being part of a sorority isn’t just getting to wear your cute letters on a t-shirt or hoodie; it’s getting to be part of a supportive organization and building a bond with people who have the same values as you.
If you have thought about joining one but are too afraid or hesitant to take that next step, take my friend’s word that it will be the best experience of your life. I have watched her completely transform in a short amount of time thanks to her sorority and you could be next… who knows, maybe I will be right beside you!
