Student Blog: The Inside Scoop on Sorority Life

From #bamarush to viral Tik Tok dances, Greek Life in schools across the country have certainly made their mark online. Yet behind the outfits, recruitment tactics, banners, and cheers, is a real community of people who have found strength and security in joining an organization. I'm here to talk about the reality of sorority life, and how the stereotypes on social media aren't always the reality.

My name is Michele Cohen, and I am a student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. We have a pretty strong Greek Life presence here on our campus, and it is something I feel really lucky to be a part of.

I initially wasn't sure if sorority life was the right choice for me, but after transferring schools and struggling to find my footing, I figured that there was really nothing to lose. I had a really rough fall semester of my freshman year, and I was determined to make the most out of this new chapter of my life and to push myself to get back to the best version of myself possible.

Although I was nervous and unsure of what was to come, I swallowed my pride and registered for sorority recruitment.

For the next two weeks I went from house to house (digitally of course, as this was still in the midst of the pandemic) and really scoped out where I thought I would fit best. I learned what each sorority stood for and got the chance to talk to some incredible girls. And at the very end of each day, I waited to see what my fate was.

At the end of the two week rushing process I ended up in a sorority chapter that felt like home, a chapter that gave me the sense of comfortability and belonging that I was so desperately looking for. While the journey was stressful, overwhelming, and had me questioning my sanity for a minute, I would do it a million times over again if it meant meeting the people I did.

I always had this vision of what my college experience was supposed to look like, and those dreams didn't truly start being fulfilled until I joined my sisterhood. I honestly didn't see myself loving it as much as I do now, and I wouldn't give it up for anything.

Sororities clearly have their reputations and stereotypes, which are understandably hard to see past. Before I joined, I don't really know what I even expected from sorority life, but all that I know is that it has exceeded all of my expectations.

What I thought would be a life full of chanting and craziness turned out to actually be a group of girls looking to do good, make lasting relationships, and gain support. There are obviously ups and downs, but getting through those hardships with the people that mean the most to me makes it all the more rewarding. I have found family within a campus of over 40,000 students, and have met friends who will hopefully be the bridesmaids at my wedding.

I struggle with anxiety, as so many people my age do, and my sorority sisters have been the first people by my side to bring me back down to Earth and keep me stable. Amidst the hectic schedule of college life and the difficulties of growing up and gaining your independence, it's beyond reassuring to have trusted people in your corner.

I have found leadership opportunities within my chapter, and have been able to work beside my friends to make the environment around us a better place. The kinds of possibilities I have come across since joining my organization have opened both my eyes and my heart.

It's wild how social media, movies, and TV shows' perception of what sororities are like ruin the idea of it for so many people, as I've been lucky enough to find so much good in it.

Not to sound too much like a poster girl for Greek Life, but if you're debating rushing a sorority, try it out and keep an open mind. It may surprise you just like it did me.

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