<p>Here I am, nearly at the end of my second semester of college, and I still don't have friends at school. </p>
<p>I met a few girls at the beginning of last semester who I thought I would be friends with, but they all joined a Christian sorority that I didn't get into and have since stopped talking to me.</p>
<p>I've joined several other clubs that are more focused on my major/future career, but I haven't really made friends with any of the other people in those (at least not in the "Hey, let's get lunch..." kind of way). </p>
<p>So, I'm considering going through rush for social sororities in the fall. I thought about doing it this past fall, but I had some concerns about the financial aspect of joining a sorority. (It came down to choosing between studying abroad and joining a sorority. I have since gotten an amazing internship that allows me to travel, so I don't have to worry about choosing any more.) </p>
<p>With that said... could a sorority be what I'm looking for? If I do decide to join a sorority, what are some obstacles I could encounter rushing/pledging as a sophomore? Is it harder to get a bid as a sophomore? How do you juggle the financial obligations of being Greek with paying rent, buying groceries, etc.? Is the pledging process overwhelmingly difficult? This is especially important to me. My roommate pledged the Christian sorority mentioned above and almost had a breakdown because of all the stress. I definitely don't want to pledge if it's THAT stressful.</p>
<p>It could be exactly what you’re looking for. And if it isn’t, you can drop out of the rush process at any time, and if you’re part way through the pledging process and you realize it isn’t for you, it’s possible to drop out then also. </p>
<p>Go into rush with an open mind and enjoy yourself! Social sororities are meant to be fun. If they aren’t, or you find it too time consuming/expensive, you can drop out as stated above.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about rushing as a sophomore. I’m planning on going through informal rush for a particular sorority in the fall…as a junior! I originally rushed the spring of my freshman year but had such an awful experience at the first two parties I went too that I just walked back to the Student Life office to drop out. Since then I’ve met a ton of girls from the group that I’ll be rushing in the fall and have fallen in love with it.</p>
<p>The thing is that it largely depends on your school, but I’ll give you as far as I know </p>
<p>Could a sorority be what I’m looking for? YES! A sorority is a group of women who truly love and care about each other. It’s a place to make life long friends. </p>
<p>Is it harder to get a bid as a sophomore? Depends on your school, but yes. At least at my school there are some chapters that won’t really take sophomores unless you’re really connected (like BFF with several of the girls). That being said, there are always some chapters that will take sophomores (My chapter at my school usually takes a bunch because we’re laid back, so we’re more attractive to sophomores). </p>
<p>How do you juggle the financial obligations of being Greek with paying rent, buying groceries, etc.? The tricks, in my opinion, are 1. Don’t buy optional things (spare tshirts, bags, etc) if you can’t afford them. 2. Apply for as many scholarships through your sorority as you can 3. Budget for your dues. </p>
<p>Is the pledging process overwhelmingly difficult? This depends on your school/your sorority. Try to find out if there are any sororities that have a reputation for hazing. THough rumors are usually crazy, if theres talk of a chapter hazing it’s probably (to some degree) true. But my sorority didn’t haze at all and pledging wasn’t really a big deal. You can always walk away from it if it’s too much. Hazing isn’t okay, don’t put up with it.</p>
<p>Jillsfein- Do you think I would have a harder time bonding with my pledge class if I’m the only sophomore in a group of freshmen? This is definitely something I’m concerned about.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about being a sophomore in a group of freshman, There will be other sophomores there too, and it’s college, it’s not too big of a deal to mix classes. You’ll also form bonds with other girls like your big and her friends.</p>
<p>Another question… could it complicate things if I know girls in some of the houses? Or could this help me? </p>
<p>I have acquaintances in almost every house and will be doing presentations at a handful of houses between now and the end of the semester. So, it’s possible that I could get to know some of the girls pretty well. (I intern with a travel company and I’m doing presentations about our summer trips. So if anyone decides to book a trip, I’m their go-to person to help them set it up.)</p>
<p>Knowing girls helps a lot assuming you have good interactions with them. At the same time, they might know you’re not right for the house even if you become friends. Being friends with one or two girls doesn’t mean you’re the right fit for that particular sisterhood, but yes, good interactions can help you</p>