Let me change the stereotypes of living in a sorority house.
Some sororities at universities allow their members to "live-in," mine does... The majority of the houses on my campus are "live-in" houses. The sophomores live-in at mine, as well as the President and the exec. Oh, and of course our wonderful house mom!
Going through recruitment members talked to me about how fun and entertaining living with your sorority sisters is, and how it's such a great experience.
Fast forward a year later, I'm a sophomore living-in. I soon realized no one talked about the cons of living-in when I was a freshman. This post isn't meant to be negative, just a "Hey heads up this may happen.. or be expecting this" type of thing!
I am going to start with the cons because I believe it's best to end on a positive note.
"No Privacy, tiny everything, unhealthy food & drama!"
Cons:
1. There is no privacy and the noise level will be loud the majority of the time. If someone did bad on a test you may hear a loud thud and a scream, if someone's boyfriend broke up with them then there may be crying because the walls are so thin if someone went out that night and gets back late a little happier than usual, singing along with movies or music, every and I mean toilet flush and shower taken, footsteps up/down the stairs, the background noise of the TV or even if some girls are hyper they could be screaming or laughing for no apparent reason. Many people assume that because I am an energetic girl it's okay to barge in my room while my doors shut and aggressively ask me to give, do or help them with something while I'm having my quiet time, or my Bible devotionals. Many rooms in my sorority house don't have locks on the door, but I was blessed with one and will lock it anytime I don't want to be bothered. However, this won't stop them from pounding on the door until I open it.
2. The tiny bedrooms, drawers, and closets are a pain! Don't get me wrong this is better than the dorms but not much. Whoever your roommate is make sure they're clean because if one of you is messy then be prepared to not see the floor. On my messy, busy days I tell my roommate to throw anything that is mine on my bed because I feel bad. The smallest things will turn a room from being spotless to being cluttered. The closets are midget sized and barely have any room for shoes and imagine winter with boots and booties! The drawers are my worst enemy. At my house they creek and are rusty. Thus causing them to be a pain to open and close.
3. If you thought the "Freshman 15" was a thing then you have something coming. I like to call it the "Sophomore Stout". At my house, the kitchen comes has unhealthy snacks. I am talking unhealthy: Oreos, Potato Chips, Cheetos, Ramen Noodles, Macaroni & Cheese, Kellogg's Fruity Snacks, Fruity Pebbles, and oh so much more! We are also one out of the two sorority houses on campus with a SODA MACHINE! I told myself moving in this wouldn't affect me, but after going out at night and coming home to all of those unhealthy goodies is a killer.
4. The last con I'm not going to write much about, but it's definitely a situation people think of most when there's 90 girls living under one roof: Drama. I, personally, haven't had drama with any girls in the house, but I know people who have. It makes it awkward seeing a girl you're beefing with and makes everything a tad bit uncomfortable because you'll see her at breakfast, lunch, and dinner (disclaimer: if you eat at the house often). If you live-in, I recommend staying away from the catfights and flying under the radar.
"These girls will be standing by you at your wedding, one will be the future Godmother to your children, and the old ladies causing chaos in the nursing home."
Pros:
1. Your closet will expand (theoretically) to 90 closets. If you wanted to you could literally never wear the same outfit twice. You'll never have a bad outfit day again! There's an endless supply of clothes. If you haven't washed any of your jeans, well you can hop to the closet next to you and borrow hers. At times I feel like I have no clothes (aka "no clothes" meaning I am not liking anything that night in my closet), so I borrow and sometimes even purchase a shirt from someone for the night. However, this is all fun and games until you begin to notice a gap in your closet from people forgetting to return them, so create a list of what people borrowed. Before moving in we were told people steal things, but living in a semester I have never had anything stolen and neither has any of my friends. I think it just depends on your pledge class.
2. There's this amazing thing called, carpooling. If you have a large friend group then expect to not be driving very often, because you guys will swap driving. Less driving = less gas = more money! I fill up my gas only once a month! Not only carpooling but also when it's raining, snowing, or dark outside you'll have someone to pick you up or drop you off.
3. Be prepared to make ENDLESS memories. Every day brings something new that you and your friends will never forget. Whether that be walking into the hallway without shorts on and running into the cleaning ladies or someone coming home after a night out and making a complete fool of themselves and you can't help, but be rolling on the floor laughing. There'll always be something to laugh about. However, some memories may not all be fun, some memories will be created regarding something tragic and the memory will be about how all your friends came together and helped one another push through it with a brave face. At times, I find those being the best memories, because you truly get to see your friends' big hearts.
4. This last one goes along the lines like the one above but deserves its own. You are (quite literally) three feet away from your best friends. Every girl in your sorority you can hang out with, eat with and have a sleepover with EVERY NIGHT! You are constantly busy. You could be binge-watching Netflix, getting ready to go out together, or it could be as simple as hanging out and messing around! If you're upset, you have your friends to make you laugh and take you to get ice cream. These girls will be standing by you at your wedding, be the future Godmother to your children, and the old ladies causing chaos in the nursing home. They will forever be your sisters, and all of these are something that you will cherish forever.
I, myself, haven't reached those stages of life with them yet, but already see those future memories with them, raising my smile and warming my heart. I know with them by me my future will be filled with surprises, memories and countless laughs, and lots of car rides when we are 50 years old listening to "Halo" by Beyonce, "Angel" by Akon, "UCLA" by RL Grime and "Beautiful Crazy" by Luke Combs...
In the end, living in a sorority house is a positive experience. The list is even BUT one recommendation I think will get you through is to stay POSITIVE! The cons are things that if you change your attitude about then you'll be fine! They also are small things and won't matter in the future. Workaround the negative side, make the most out of it, have fun, and make countless memories with your sisters. The pros are not only a pro in the "now" but a pro in the "future" too!
Who wouldn't want a two for one deal in a once in a lifetime experience?
Mira Lillard
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