How to Join a Sorority

So you want to join a sorority? You've carefully weighed the consequences and thought about what you have to do to become a sister. Now you just have a couple of questions that you may be afraid to ask. How to you get in, and what can you expect once you're in there?

Well, the first thing you have to do is find out when the sorority of your choice is accepting new members. This is called, "Rush Week." Overt the course of the week, you get to know the girls in the sorority, they get to know you, and if you fit in their group, the ask you to join their membership by giving you a bid to "pledge." To find out when rush events occur, you can ask a sister. In the weeks before rush events, sisters will usually wear their Greek letters (the symbol of their sisterhood) all over campus. A large membership is what keeps their organization going, so anyone wearing letters will be happy to tell you when and where their rush parties are being held. You should also keep an eye out for fliers or posters with sorority information.

Most schools also have an office of fraternity and sorority affairs. This office basically monitors the activities and behavior of the fraternities and sororities on campus and ensures that each member of the organization maintains a specific GPA. The office also is responsible for signing up interested parties for any formal rush. This office will give you a list of all sorority events and sign you up as an interested party.

Once you pledge, you'll find yourself subject to a lot of rules which vary from sorority to sorority. You may be forced to dress up, deliver goods, go on errands, maintain a curfew, memorize a lot of names, dates and history, and attend study hours. Remember the walls have ears. All of the activities that occur during your pledging semester are usually a secret. Saying anything negative about your pledging semester or letting the rituals slip out of your mouth to someone can get you dropped. NONE OF THE SISTERS ARE YOUR FRIENDS UNTIL YOU CROSS OVER. The sisters will be scrutinizing your every move until initiation and will not hesitate to drop a girl who does not fit into their organization.

Sorority Archetypes

Chapter President: Usually Most Popular girl and the leader of the organization.

Pledge Mom: The pledge mom is responsible for your sorority education. Don't be fooled by the name, her job is to intimidate you into strictly adhering to the pledge rules and teach you everything in the sororities history.

Your Big Sister: You'll get her a few weeks into your pledging semester. She's the one member you can vent a little frustration. The big sister's job is to be your personal mentor and to share personal experiences with you. She will be more loyal to the sisterhood than she will be to you. So be careful not to say the wrong thing, as she will probably share everything you say with the rest of the girls.

Pledge Sisters: These are your sisters in arms or your battle buddies. Just like you, these girls want to become members of the sorority. Your pledge class will work towards become a cohesive unit.