A girl’s guide to getting by without Greek Life
From work week to “rushtok” and bid day festivities, it’s impossible to ignore the craziness that is sorority recruitment. All over social media and on campus, freshmen who just joined sororities are sporting their latest merch and bonding with their new sisters.
In the midst of all the chaos, it’s important to remember that the University of Miami has a lot more to offer than Greek life. Consider this my pep talk for the girls who didn’t rush, didn’t get a bid or dropped from recruitment. You aren’t alone.
Although most of my friends, including my roommate, decided to rush this spring semester, I did not. When asked why I didn’t rush, I responded with the truth: “I just didn’t feel like it.”
But for the girls who dropped or for the ones who didn’t rush at all, it may feel like sorority life is starting to infiltrate every aspect of your Miami experience.
So you rushed, but your experience was different from the majority. Your friends all split up into different chapters or the chapter you thought would be your new home didn’t offer you a bid. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s important to remember that getting dropped doesn’t mean you failed.
With more than 1,000 girls rushing this past semester and only seven Panhellenic sororities participating in formal recruitment, UM recruitment continues to get more and more competitive, making it a battle to secure a bid.
If your recruitment process didn’t go as planned: instead of focusing on the disappointment, take that extra time and energy you have and find a sisterhood in the many other communities UM has to offer.
UM has more than 300 registered student organizations focusing on academics, leadership, volunteering and sports. Participating in these clubs and activities is a great way to make friends and meet people that share your passions.
For instance, I spent a weekend in November at a tournament with UM Debate in Chicago, making friends and doing something I love in the process. Through a program called Civic Synergy, I’ve connected with peers who are now also my colleagues in an internship. At The Miami Hurricane, I’ve built meaningful relationships with my co-writers and editors, making the experience academically and socially rewarding.
Attending UM does not exclusively revolve around on-campus life, we also have access to a city bursting with vibrant culture and energy. Known for its year-round heat and sunshine, Miami’s weather is the perfect excuse to spend time outdoors and take a quick trip to the beach, something available whether or not you’re involved in Greek life. Miami also offers a wide range of music and food scenes for a fun night out free of sorority affiliation.
But not every school has this privilege. Both of my sisters rushed last semester at Purdue University and the University of Arizona, two college towns in the middle of nowhere, devoid of nightlife, beaches, or major cities nearby. According to my sisters, if you’re not at a frat party, you’re essentially confined to your dorm room. In their eyes, Greek life is the only way to have fun and make friends at college. Fortunately, that’s not the case here.
Also, both of their schools have more chapters and huge sorority and fraternity houses. UM’s lack of sorority houses means that when it comes time to decide who our future roommates are, people choose to live with their friends, not just their sorority sisters (although, of course, these can overlap).
None of this means that joining a sisterhood doesn’t have its pros, but by no means is Greek life essential for building a social life, fostering a sense of belonging, or having fun at UM. You can still embrace the opportunities Miami has to offer through its clubs, internship network, and the city itself. Your college experience is what you make of it, whether or not Greek life is involved along the way. At UM, you’re bound to find a community to call home.