I’m sure you have a preconceived idea of what the stereotypical sorority girl looks like. With popular videos of sororities showcasing a sea of skinny, white blonde girls, many people who don’t fit this categorization are entirely turned off by any form of Greek life. There has always been a negative connotation with sororities, with many claiming that it is merely people paying for friends.
Entering my freshman year of college, I had this mindset and vowed to myself that I would never join a sorority. I never fit the image of a sorority girl that I formed in my head, and I had no desire to change myself to be more like her. Months later, I would have never imagined that I would be an avid member of a TCNJ sorority.
I learned that sorority life in TCNJ is completely different from that of southern schools. While Greek life does play a decent role on campus, it is much more lowkey than schools like the University of Alabama. There are no luxurious mansions that look like they should belong on Million Dollar Listing (that would be nice though) or hundreds of girls running down the street cheering at all times. The lack of these tropes that I saw on Tiktok and movies surprised me and made me more open-minded to the recruitment process.
Talking to girls during recruitment, I realized that being a part of a sorority was only a small part of their identity, and that none of their personalities revolved solely around Greek life. In fact, many had leadership roles and were active members of the TCNJ community. Though there is still a lack of diversity among our school’s sororities, it still transcended my expectations. I was welcomed by girls who had a variety of views, perspectives, and experiences.
A main appeal for joining a sorority is the sisterhood, something I definitely have encountered since my initiation. I have met so many people who I never would have met otherwise, some of which are my closest friends. Besides current friendships, Greek life opens so many doors for future connections as well. There are so many resources and alumni that can help out during the job searching process or any other future milestones. In fact, many Greek-oriented organizations even offer networking events for members. In an employment sense, sororities allow for various opportunities for professional growth through aiding their philanthropies. Members are required to attend events that help out certain organizations and the community at large. They also gain experiences that could lead to the development of skills.
Though I am not what you may classify as the “typical sorority girl,” TCNJ sororities have offered me a multitude of opportunities. If you are looking to become more active in the community or just to make new friends, I completely recommend joining the recruitment process. Who knows, you may be as surprised as I was.