Sorority recruitment is back and just like that the rumor mill is operating in full force. As the deadline to sign up for formal recruitment approaches, there are many opportunities to find out the truth about sorority recruitment and put a stop to the myths every Greek hates to hear! As a member of a Greek organization, I encourage everyone to take a minute and realize that there are (at least) two sides to every story and most of what you hear through word of mouth isn’t true. Let me present to you the most common myths about sorority recruitment, and the actual truths behind them!
Myth: Everyone will judge you based on your appearance.
Reality: As much as some people might tell you, recruitment is NOT about appearances. It doesn’t matter what kind of clothes you’re wearing or where you bought them. What matters is that your dress during recruitment is put together and reflects your personal style. You will find that it’s not about the clothes you’re wearing but about the experiences you share with the women around you. This will hold true throughout your time in Greek life should you choose to join an organization. Once you realize that not everyone cares about what you’re wearing, the pressure to look perfect subsides and you will feel comfortable just being yourself!
Myth: Every organization is the same.
Reality: On this campus there are currently 9 different sororities recognized by PHC and 2 recognized by NPHC. That’s 11 vastly different organizations for you to choose from. I’ve never understood the reasoning behind this particular blanket statement, besides the fact that the person saying it likely has no idea what they’re talking about! Seriously, if someone says this to you about the sororities at App, they clearly are not an observant person and have probably never had true interactions with women in each organization. To understand the differences between each organization you must get to know the women who are a part of them.
Myth: You shouldn’t join a sorority if you don’t like to party or go out all the time.
Reality: Due to the wild misrepresentation of Greek life in popular culture and on the Internet, there is a widely held belief that individuals who are a part of a Greek organization exist solely to go to parties and socialize with other Greeks. Let me assure you, this is not true. I blame Hollywood and the TSM culture for these inaccurate portrayals. You don’t need to join a sorority to go to parties, you can do that on your own. And if going to the average frat party isn’t how you like to spend your weekends? That’s perfectly okay! At its most basic level, a sorority is a group of women who are bonded together through rituals, traditions, common beliefs, and sisterhood. When you join a sorority you are accepting its leadership as your own and you are obligated to abide by certain rules and standards that people outside of Greek life do not necessarily adhere to.
Myth: Formal recruitment is only for freshmen.
Reality: While the majority of girls who sign up for formal recruitment are in fact freshmen, it is not a requirement of joining a sorority. As long as you are an enrolled undergraduate student with good standing and meet the expected GPA requirements, you can sign up for recruitment! Just because you didn’t decide to do it freshman or even sophomore year in college doesn’t mean that it’s too late to try it out now. Your age should not matter as long as you are ready for anything and open to meeting new people, you will do just fine.
Myth: Joining Greek Life is like asking to be hazed.
Reality: The reality here is that hazing is 100% illegal in North Carolina, and 43 other states! Girls in sororities strive to make their new members feel comfortable and welcome in the organization, so hazing is not an issue. Safety is a top priority in Greek life and anti-hazing is a top priority here at Appalachian.
Myth: Joining a sorority is an easy way to make friends because you just pay to hang out with people.
Reality: The dues that you pay to your sorority go directly to fund your chapter and its financial needs. Without the collection of dues, the chapter cannot function. It’s simple to understand when you think about it. Most clubs on campus require dues to fund their operations and a sorority is no different. When you pay your dues you are paying for things like your badge, resources for philanthropy events, resources for recruitment events, social events, etc. You aren’t paying people to hang out with you, you are paying to sustain your organization and maintain its position on campus.
Myth: Once you join a sorority, it becomes the epicenter of your entire life.
Reality: Unless you to choose to put yourself in this kind of position, it is possible to be in a sorority and still involved in many other things. Believe it or not, sorority women have other things going on in their lives besides being a part of a Greek organization…(like OMG)! Sure, it is a pretty heavy time commitment and is unlike any other club on campus, but that does not mean you have to devote your entire life to it. In fact, most Greek organizations require and encourage you to be a member of other on campus clubs so that you remain a level headed and balanced person.
Myth: Girls in sororities are all airheads and make bad grades.
Reality: All sororities on campus have a standard GPA that all members must adhere to if they wish to have full participation in the chapter. Sororities help their members meet these GPA goals by providing study rooms, tutors and study buddies. The GPA of the Greek women here at Appalachian is higher than the all women GPA because all Greek women are held to high academic standards and are expected to do their best.