Ten Reasons Why Joining a Sorority May Be Right for You
Written by Megan Polston
Have you ever wondered what Greek life is like at Hillsdale College? You’re not the only one! Here are ten reasons why sorority life at Hillsdale College is awesome:
Having a dining room and a cook:
Although we all appreciate the charming smile of Saga Steve, nothing quite beats a home cooked meal enjoyed with your best friends. You can always cook them for yourself in the sorority house’s fully stocked kitchen, or you can just show up at the right time, since each house comes complete with a formal dining room and a fantastic cook.
Being surrounded by genuine friends:
Let’s be honest: nobody’s perfect. Everyone has an awkward moment here and there, and some of us can identify with having just a few more of them than others.
Being in a sorority at Hillsdale means never being written off for one, or for plenty, of those moments that make you wish you had cave to go and hide in. Back at the sorority house, repression doesn’t fly; it’s a place to shout about who you are, and what you’re passionate about—what you love, and what breaks your heart. We love and accept our sisters as complete people, and we understand that being a “complete person” doesn’t always mean being put together. If you’ll glance down a hall of the house, you’ll always find a shoulder to cry on, a few friends to laugh with— and even, on occasion, a table to stand on and scream.
Being a part of the campus community:
Our Student Activities Board, GOAL programs, and Student Assistant Mentors can keep us pretty busy throughout the week. It can be hard to hear about every fundraiser, retreat, and professor lecture, let alone keep track of them all. In a sorority, you’ll have plenty of sisters involved in every group and activity imaginable, so you can expect to be well informed. Need help updating your resume? A sister probably works in Career Service. Looking for way to get more involved on campus? Talk to a sister; she probably works in an office that is looking to hire.
Getting connected with other Greeks:
Hillsdale Greeks aren’t shy about showing off our values. Whether it’s through philanthropy, scholarship, or good old, flag-football-and-sand-volleyball inspired physical fitness, we love to work together to make ourselves better. Expect to spend more than a few moments glowering at the other houses during Greek Week, but then making up over an all-Greek barbecue and bonfire.
Connections after college:
When sisters graduate from Hillsdale College, they leave behind a wealth of experience and advice for getting through the unpredictable and stressful undergraduate years. They also open the door for internships, job offers and letters of recommendation. Don’t think you have to face the real world on your own. It’s full of bright, driven, and ambitious women– and they might just have worn the same Greek letters as you.
Wardrobe access:
Girls need clothes. A LOT of clothes. And college– between the formal dinners, the dances, the job interviews, and those rainy Sundays that beg just the right pair of sweat pants— well, it doesn’t make the clothes thing any easier. But there’s no reason to break the bank over finding a few new dresses to wear; we are, after all, college students on a chocolate-and-popcorn-type of budget. In a sorority, you’ll have something like sixty other wardrobes to sample at will, so finding the perfect President’s Ball dress or job interview blazer doesn’t have to mean a trip to a pricey department store. Just take a stroll down the hall instead!
Opportunities for leadership:
Each sorority organizes their leadership a bit differently (just ask a girl from each house how many Vice Presidents she has, and you’ll learn this very quickly) but you’ll find a real consistency in the boundless opportunities to lead that each house offers up. Regardless of who you are— if you’re the type who loves to stand up and lead the show, or if you prefer to work behind the scenes—you’ll find a place and a position that value your skills. And all that work that you’ll put in organizing recruitment or formals or executive meetings? It’s great experience for life after college. The fine-tuned organization and communication skills that you’ll pick up from a sorority make for the perfect polish on a post-grad resume.
Philanthropy:
By the time you’ve spent a year at Hillsdale, whether you’re in a sorority or not, you’ll have heard the catchy 
slogans and seen the bright posters—you’ll have Stomped through a Swamp, Volleyed for a Wish, and witnessed the crowning of our newest Mr. Hillsdale—and, perhaps without knowing it, you’ll have helped to contribute to the thousands of dollars that our sororities give to charity every year.
Being in a sorority affords girls the opportunity to give back to a cause that inspires their passion on a weekly basis. While social events and sisterhood are remarkable things that keep laughter flowing and smiles wide, sororities are in the business of constantly reminding their members of their duty to contribute to the community just as much as they contribute to each other.
Growth and accountability:
Love and acceptance take us far, but, at the end of the day, we’d generally like to crawl into bed a better person 
than when we left it that morning.
A sorority girl is surrounded by women who want to see her at her best— who will push her toward excellence in all things, whether academic, spiritual, social, physical, or mental. Now, it takes some time to get there, but you can expect ample support along the way. When you get it right, your sisters will applaud you; when you miss the mark a little bit (or a lot), they’ll help you back on track.
Social events:
We all love Hillsdale, and we rejoice in its challenges, but the whispers and bookshelves of the library can only keep you company for so long. When it comes to study breaks, no one does it better than the sororities. Sometimes a girl just needs to dance. Or watch a movie. Or sing loudly and badly (and to raucous applause) at Karaoke Night. Just know that, whatever your jam may be, a sister is not far behind you.
Megan Polston is a junior English major from Tucson, Arizona, and a member of the Pi Beta Phi women’s fraternity. Following graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in publishing youth fiction.