Come second semester, many freshmen and a select number of sophomores wonder what it’s really like to be part of a sorority at Hopkins. I have no idea what it feels like to be a member of the social Greek community here. I have never participated in Panhellenic recruitment either. This is truly the understanding of sorority life from the outside looking in.
While many, if not most, of my friends decided to participate in sorority rush last spring, I opted not to. Something about the exclusivity of it all and the pricey dues made me shy away from the opportunity. Sororities promote that a becoming a member is like gaining new sisters — but what connects them all? Maybe they all have similar personalities or traits, but it seems that the desire for a thriving social life connects social Greeks. This isn’t a bad thing at all. But it is something worth considering. People find friends in every corner of our student body — it just depends where you look. It is inevitable that one finds a niche in the sorority that they end up in. But what is so unfortunate is the ranking that is imposed on our sororities and the ultimate disappointment for some that comes at the end of Rush Week.
Phi Mu and Alpha Phi are often considered the “best” of the sororities. I use the term best extremely loosely. What constitutes these groups of women as the “best” or most sought after? They are classified as the prettiest and the most social. They are the women who look picture-perfect on Facebook and are always having a great time with each other. They are always caught throwing their signs at parties together and representing their sisterhood with sorority tote bags on campus. But why do these superficial things constitute them as the “best” sororities that our campus has to offer? Why is it even necessary to rank the sororities? All it does is instill jealousy and competition during rush.
There are specific stigmas attached to each of the sororities on campus. Some are good and some are bad. As a sophomore, I know many different girls in different sororities. Each adds something unique to the sisterhood, and none are the stereotypical “Kappa” or “Aphi.” They are just cool girls who enjoy being involved in smaller, tight-knit groups of women. But during rush, many of them didn’t feel like they were placed in the “right” sorority. They were disappointed if they weren’t Phi Mu or Alpha Phi. Girls go into Rush Week with their hearts set on a particular group, and, often come Pref Night, they have smudged eyeliner and mascara running down their rosy cheeks when they realize that the sorority of their dreams doesn’t want them as a sister. It becomes a question of, “Why am I not good enough for them?”
People have to recognize the superficiality of Rush Week. Some people dirty rush and already have a good idea of who they want to recruit. Athletes, especially, have an advantage going into rush, as many of their upperclassmen teammates are sisters of certain sororities. But if you are just meeting the members of the Greek community, it can be hard to have a genuine conversation during the Ice Water round or Theme Round. A sister could walk up to you and already know that she doesn’t want someone like you. She has already made up her mind. People can refute this and say that they go into every conversation with an open mind, but it is impossible not to judge someone on a first impression — this impression could be good or bad, but regardless, it will affect the conversation that is to follow.
The anxiety surrounding Rush Week for girls is overwhelming. Girls still question their decisions after Bid Night. The anonymous online forum, Greek Rank, has been extremely active these past few weeks with threads concerning both sororities and fraternities. A huge concern expressed by female posters is the feeling of inferiority based on the sorority they were welcomed into. They recognize that while the girls in all the sororities are nice, they feel hurt to be cast aside from what are considered to be top-tier sororities.
During Rush Week, a specific post was made from an upset PNM (potential new member). She expressed her disgust with the Greek system and the way in which it negatively hurt her self-esteem. While I personally believe that this leads to a larger issue at hand and that Greek Rush is not to fully blame for her breakdown and contemplation of suicide, I do think that it says something about the importance we foolheartedly place on the social hierarchy here at Hopkins. While it may not be very different than other universities, it is disappointing to be a part of a community that accepts these social stigmas.
Greek life is not for everyone, but it does great things for some. To each their own. It is not the end of the world if you don’t get into your top fraternity or sorority, but it is also understandable to be hurt if you’re not chosen. We are all so much more than the Greek letters that may or may not be on our chests. All of us can find a niche in this community.
