It’s More Than Parties, Sorority Life.
Congratulations if your daughter has joined a sorority! Joining a sorority was one of the best decisions I made while being in college. I made amazing friends and connections. I am still friends with many sorority sisters; in fact, the owners of the website of these blogs are two of my sorority sisters. At UNF, every sorority is a little different as it relates to academic requirements, philanthropic requirements, and social requirements. Your daughter will be expected to attend chapter meetings and participate in their sorority’s events. They are paired up with fraternities for socials which may be mandatory. Some sororities require you to dress up for chapter meetings; others do not care if you come straight from the gym. Obviously, with social distancing being in place many of these events may be via zoom.
Be prepared for an entire wardrobe change as they can often be seen wearing frat tanks (some girls sell their collection for as little as $5 a shirt), sorority shirts, sweatshirts, jewelry and more, proudly wearing their sorority’s letters or name ( Some new members are not allowed to wear the letters until after initiation). And get ready for some major arts & crafting as your daughter prepares to get her little sister for the first time. Between Big/Little, Orientation, and Bid Day, they have accumulated jewelry, water bottles, stationery, wall signs and so much more. And while I know eventually after they graduate college and move into an apartment their decorating tastes switch, seeing them enjoying this bond with so many young women and the impact the sorority makes during their college years is well worth having all of the sorority items they collect.
Being in a sorority is not just about the social aspect, although that is a big part of joining. Many of the sororities require their members to participate in the philanthropy aspect teaching them about helping those less fortunate. They are expected to keep up their grades as well. They can be found holding positions for Homecoming, Student Government, Food Drives, and many other events. This opens the door for new members to have the opportunity to get involved on campus through compassion, camaraderie, and community. Browse through the UNF PanHellenic Council Facebook page for some of the interesting events they recently planned here.
Should you decide to get them a congratulatory gift, we have some suggestions here from:
Desert Cactus Greek, Brit and Bee, Alexandra and Company, Go Greek Chic, Cotton Sisters, Sorority Shop, Signature Tumblers, Greek Gear, Greek Creations, All that Jas, BaubleBar and Gild the Lily. Even Bed, Bath & Beyond carries Greek merchandise including tumblers, pillows, poufs and more!
Some sororities not only have Family Weekends every year, some in the fall and some in the spring, they also have Mother-Daughter and Father-Daughter Weekends. Not every sorority at UNF is required to participate in these events so check with your daughter to see if her sorority has one planned. Most colleges are extremely strict today when it comes to drinking and hazing. I am not going to cherry coat this; it does happen. UNF is no different. Sororities have been put on probation for alcohol consumption and not been allowed to have any socials. Your daughter should never feel pressured to do something that makes her feel uncomfortable.
Without a doubt joining a sorority was the greatest experience during my college years and I hope it will be for your daughters as well.
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