Should I go Greek?

If anyone would've asked me before I left for college, I would've said absolutely not. But, here I am a senior in college actively involved in my sorority, in Greek life, and on Greek executive board. 
 
Going Greek at Augustana is different than going Greek at other places.  
 
The Greek social groups at Augie have no national affiliation. This means, that all social groups here have their own rules, guidelines, and restrictions. 
 
They’re still overseen by the administration and the student life board, but not by other chapters or groups across the nation. And at Augie, there are hands-on faculty that regulate and work with Greek groups. 
 
This also means that your Greek dues are a lot cheaper. (Woohoo!) This is the amount of money you pay towards your group for the year. Don’t let this scare you from going Greek, because you can work out a payment plan with your group. 
 
At Augustana, the average is about $200 - $340 per year, at larger schools their dues can be anywhere between $2,000 - $8,000.  That’s a crazy difference! A lot of that difference is because Augie Greek groups don’t have official houses. 
 
For the Greek social groups, there are 7 sororities and 8 fraternities. This means a lot of options when you consider joining! But, how do you pick which one is right for you? Well, you basically get to speed date them all for a weekend. 
 
It may sound intimidating, but it is beyond fun. You spend a couple of hours on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday taking a bus with other potential new members to visit these groups across the Quad Cities.  Oh, and you get free food and to meet new people!
 
When I met all the groups, I was on the same bus with two of my best friends. We had been inseparable all freshman year from August to when the rush process started, but we had all taken away different experiences from the weekend. 
 
When we went to give our bid (which group we wanted), we all told each other who we picked - all different groups! We couldn’t believe it. We were nervous that we wouldn’t have time for each other if we all rushed separate sororities. 
 
We were so wrong. We all joined different groups but remained as close as ever. Because, the group you join doesn’t restrict you from having other friends or from being a part of other non-Greek groups, such as Camp Kessem, Habitat for Humanity, Active Minds, and Positive Impact. 
 
In fact, going Greek helped me become more involved with other things inside and outside of my sorority. I’ve held positions such as recording secretary, rush chair, intramural chair, and now service chair for two years in a row (with two other amazing girls!) and I’m on greek council executive board as the service chair. 
 
These opportunities have helped me grow into a more organized, driven, and hardworking person. But it’s not only from these opportunities but from subtle moments that happen throughout my time in Greek life and with my sisters. 
 
It’s the moments when I pass my sisters in the quad who stop to ask about my day, the support I receive when presenting my senior project and I see smiling faces in the audience, the late-night laughs of staying in and watching movies together (and running to get late-night food!), and it’s the weekly meetings where we all crowd into a room and share each other’s accomplishments. 
 
These small moments are the ones that have given me the most. This group of girls has given me confidence, confidence to be a better friend, a better student, and a better person. 
 
I will never be able to thank these girls enough for making my college years what they have been. But, I wouldn’t be here thanking them if I never went Greek. 
 
I don’t know if going Greek is the right choice for everyone, but I know that it was the right choice for me. 
 
I encourage you to try the rush process, place your bid, and give a group a chance. You can drop at any point. It’s an exciting experience and you will gain a lot no matter how far in the process you go. 
 
I truly never thought Greek life would be for me, but Augustana has changed that for me. Greek life here is so unique. But you don’t have to take my word for it, go experience it for yourself!