Going greek: Is it right for me?

I would give anything to go back to bid day of my freshman year, the culmination of the whole recruitment process. I got off the bus that day feeling nervous and excited to meet the new members of my pledge class who have become my IU family and a support system over the last three years of my college experience.

I first learned of greek life through my older sister. She rushed the year before I entered college and came home on breaks with several exciting stories about the new friends she had made. The whole idea didn’t appeal to me as I was finishing up high school, but when I got to IU, a few things changed.

I went through 19-party in late November of my freshman year, and I couldn’t stop myself from being curious about what went on in the houses at nonrecruitment times. Potential members saw 19 houses over the course of two days, but I wanted to see the houses when the decorations were down. My basic goal at the beginning was to find a chapter I could feel comfortable living in with people I could see myself talking to for countless hours.

Coming back from winter break, I left my family early to attend 12, six and three party events. Each party was more intimate and longer, so you could get to know members better. The week ended with a coach bus dropping me off in front of my future home on bid day.

During sophomore and junior years, sorority life offered opportunities to get involved. This year, I was elected to be an executive member – vice president of program development. As a house member, you can do things small and large for your chapter but also external things as well. Many houses participate in events like IU Dance Marathon, Little 500 and other fraternity and sorority philanthropies.
My favorite part of going greek has been to participate in sorority tradit
ions that have been passed down from year to year since the founding of each campus chapter. This special sense of history known only to house members provides a tie to each pledge class that has come before yours.

Most importantly, if I did not rush, I would not have met a former Arbutus editor in my chapter who convinced me to fill an open position on the yearbook. Because I met her, I am now editor of the yearbook, which has been a very important part of my college life.

My rush experience was not easy, but it was good to go through the process so I could fairly decide which house was a right fit. I am now going into my last year, which will be my final two semesters to live in the house. People say joining a house makes campus seem smaller. I disagree. Going greek has given me an opportunity to make even more friends than I ever could have if I didn’t.

I am now a senior who wishes she could do it all over again.