If you're friends with any college students then you've probably seen quite a number of social media posts about Sorority Bid Week! In the last couple weeks these posts have been popping up in my Instagram and Facebook feeds and I love seeing these updates from past clients. With so many of you thinking about college and what your experience might be like next year I thought it would be great if you could get a glimpse into why some of your friends are joining a sorority. Today, I wanted you to hear how being in a sorority has impacted three different women in their own words.
First up, McKenzie!
McKenzie had this to say: "Greek life has changed my life in ways I didn’t know my life needed changing. Moving to college was a complete roller-coaster! As if moving away from home and my friends was not enough, I decided to go through sorority recruitment. Deciding to go through rush was the best choice I had ever made for myself (except for going to UGA - Go Dawgs!!) I made the decision to join Gamma Phi Beta and that decision was/is going to impact me for the rest of my life.
Going away to college is crazy because through my sorority I was able to meet and become friends with other girls just like me. Girls with the same interests and goals and values as me! I have made friends that I didn’t even know I needed in my life, but I can’t imagine my life without those girls now. The deep connections and memories I have made in just one year truly mean the world to me. I am beyond excited to see what the next three years have in store for me! Going Greek changed my life forever and it really helped UGA feel like my home away home."
A couple other girls, Madison (another past client) and Paige Wilson are also students at UGA who are involved with their sororities. Paige wrote a great article titled "7 Things to Remember As You Go Through Sorority Recruitment".
I also asked Marlee to contribute to this post. She goes to University of North Georgia and graduated from high school the same year as McKenzie.
Marlee wrote: "Coming to college, I wasn't sure if joining a sorority was for me. I signed up at the last minute, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. There are so many things I love about being involved in a sorority, including the tremendous amount of love and support I receive through my organization day in and day out, the confidence that I have gained since joining, and the number of people who I know are in my corner no matter what. Knowing that I always have someone to call when I've had a bad day, having someone (multiple people, actually) to always watch the new episode of the Bachelor with, and people who share the same values as I do, makes me so grateful for my organization."
Sorority Friendships Are For Life
Finally, I asked my friend Jenny to write about her experience as well. McKenzie and Marlee are just finding out what it means to be part of a sorority but Jenny has a unique perspective because she's been a member of her sorority for awhile and these friendships have lasted long after college graduation and well into her married and mommy years.
Jenny had this to say about her sorority sisters: "When I headed off to the University of West Georgia in 1993, I didn’t know a single person on campus. I went through sorority recruitment and pledged Alpha Xi Delta because I felt a connection to the women that I met during the week. At eighteen, I don’t really think I grasped the true meaning of sisterhood or the long-term impact it would have on my life. During senior year, I became president of my chapter and challenged myself to make changes to the antiquated recruitment process. Through collaborative efforts between my advisory team, the Panhellenic Office and the other sorority presidents - we improved the process and increased morale on campus. After graduating, I got my first job because a sorority sister put me in touch with a recruiter who had the perfect job for me. I spent sixteen years working in the sports television industry. I met my husband at a sorority sister’s wedding. We recently celebrated fifteen years of marriage and have three beautiful children. Oh, and four decades later, I’m still friends with these women who helped shape my college experience. A dozen of us get together once a year for an annual Christmas party. Sometimes we exchange ornaments, sometimes we brunch and shop, and sometimes we hang out in yoga pants, eat yummy food and drink wine. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing – we still have a good time, we reminisce about our favorite memories and we laugh A LOT! They helped mold me into the woman I am today and I am blessed to call them my sisters."
If you're considering joining a sorority when you start college next year I suggest talking to a friend you know about their experience to help you determine if that is something you'd like to do.
0 Comments