fl)CAMPUS LIFE

_ .•••. _.J --,

-

ends). Mter each party, potential newmembers rank their favorite sororities;

meanwhile, the sororities rank the possi-ble recruits. By the end of the week, eachpotential new member is left with a bidin her hand. If she accepts the bid, she willgo through initiation classes in which

she'll learn about the history and valuesof the sorority. Then she will go throughan initiation ceremony, becoming a fullsister. (I wish I could tell you all the de-tails, but like all sisters, I'm sworn to se-

crecy.) We're expected to attend weeklychapter meetings and philanthropic andrecruitment events. Membership comes ata cost: I pay roughly $150 a month to be aDelta Zeta, but I pay my dues by workingpart time, and my sorority, like most, of-

fers scholarships.Since joining my sorority, I've had only

positive experiences. So, like my sisters, Iwas shocked to read about how DePauw

University's Delta Zeta chapter had al-legedly kicked out 23 sisters because theywere "socially awkward" or overweight,leaving the chapter with only 12 sisterswho were slender, popular and "conven-tionally pretty." I still find it unbelievable-

FIRSTPERSON:Despite my initial misgivings,

Greek life is just right for me. BY K. ALEISHA FETTERS

HEN I ARRIVED AT

Northwestern, I kept asimple mantra inmind: don't drink theKool-Aid. Those five

syllables summed up my entire attitudeabout sororities, which I'd always regardedas a little too cultish. During high schoolI'd seen too many movies about harsh initi-ation rituals led by airheaded girls withfake nails, fake noses and fake personali-ties. Many of my dormmates insisted thatGreek life at Northwestern was different.

Still, as I wandered the campus during my

first freshman quarter, I figured the Greeksystem was a breeding ground for all thestudents who'd slipped by the admissionscommittee. I had as much chance of pledg-ing a sorority as I did trying out for thefootball team.

A lot of my classmates, though, clearlythought differently. Nearly 40 percent ofNorthwestern undergraduates belong to

68 HOW TO GET INTO COLLEGE

fraternities or sororities. While these stu-

dents are dedicated to philanthropies andacademics, they also keep weekends social.At most colleges, fraternities and sororitiesare an important part of campus life-andeven at Northwestern, where the majorityof students don't pledge, deciding whetherto do so is one of the biggest social deci-sions an incoming freshman makes.As I settled in to campus, something

happened that made me start to changemy views. I met a Delta Zeta. She wasquirky, thoughtful and a great study part-ner. Spending time with her, I began towonder: are the other women in her soror-

ity just as impressive? One evening she in-vited me over to her house for an informal

recruitment event. It was low-key: we sataround chatting, eating snacks and watch-ing "Friends." I was hooked.Joining a sorority requires commit-

ment. The process lasts about a week, withparties each evening (and all day on week-

and as ajournalism major, I found the sto-ry both slanted and sensationalized. Butthe furor caused by that story did lead mychapter to have intense discussions.Northwestern Delta Zetas are an incredi-

bly diverse group and, as we recruit, we'recommitted to keeping it that way.In my sorority, I have a community in

which I can study for midterms, raid clos-ets and bond over broken hearts. I alsohave a nationwide network of alumni sis-

ters who may be helpful when it's time tofind a job. And ironically, while I oncefound tlle rituals of sorority life to be a lit-tle cultish, I now find our ceremonies, rit-

uals and creeds to be part of what makesmy chapter a cohesive group.Today I regret that I didn't join my

sorority as soon as I got to campus. So ifyou're skeptical whether Greek life is right

for you, I suggest you give the recruitmentprocess a try. Visiting different fraternitiesor sororities is the only way to judge theirtrue temperaments. If you decide to join,that chapter's house will be your home forthe rest of your college career.

FETTERS is a junior at Northwestern University.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CALLIE LIPKIN FOR NEWSWEEK