My name is Nicole and I’m a junior at Ohio University. I am not involved in Ohio University Greek life, and I don’t plan to be. That is okay!
In fact, I think that members of sororities and fraternities are often wonderful people. Greek life raises a lot of money for philanthropic causes. It also provides sisterhood and brotherhood for so many on the Ohio University campus.
Flashback to freshman year of college. It was my first semester, and I was thinking about going Greek. Many of my older friends had joined, and I saw their adorable pictures on Instagram. All of them were hugging their sisters and talking about how much they loved their sorority. I envied the cute, glittery shirts and themes for rush week. It looked amazing.
I rolled the idea over and over in my head. Could I see myself there? Could I handle all that social commitment AND keep my grades up?
Although I felt a little sad not to join my friends during rush, I knew that NOT joining Greek life was the right decision for me. The main reason? My schoolwork. I knew that if I spread myself too thin, my schoolwork will fall on the back burner. With rush week, socials, philanthropy, chapter and formals (all mandatory), I knew that Greek life would be too much. I came to college to study, graduate, and find a good job. I did not want to jeopardize my goals by overstretching myself.
Another reason I did not join Greek life was the cost. The cost of going Greek is not something that should be ignored. All members have to pay dues every month. I had worked at McDonald’s all summer and had already spent a fortune on renting books. The thought of spending more money just made me nervous. Like, really nervous. I hadn’t found a job yet and saving my money was one of my top priorities. I honestly couldn’t stomach spending the extra money.
Not joining a sorority did NOT ruin my college experience. I still have friends, good grades, and a social life. The main point of this… Do what makes you happiest. If Ohio University Greek life seems right up your alley, then by all means do it. But if joining sounds too intimidating, don’t sweat it. You’ll find something else that’s right for you.
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