My Big Fat Greek Experience: Sorority Life at NYU

I went through the formal sorority recruitment process in the fall of 2019, the beginning of my sophomore year. I was already involved at a lot at NYU – the Politics Society, College Democrats, and the Bronfman Center. But there was something missing from my college life that I thought a sorority could help with. The formal sorority recruitment process takes place over two weekends after the first week of school in the fall. You start by meeting with girls from all seven organizations. Over the course of the process, you’ll narrow it down to one or two sororities before eventually choosing one. Finally, I joined Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, or AST!

The sorority recruitment process looks different for everyone. Above all, the best advice I can give is to be yourself. No sorority is looking for a fake version of you – they want the real you. Also, go in with an open mind. Doing research on the sororities beforehand is fine, but don’t get your heart set on just one – you might be surprised by which ones you like best. Each sorority is different, but they are all wonderful, supportive groups of women.

The level of involvement you have in your sorority is up to you. Every sorority has an executive board that’s in charge of all major events and decisions. Every executive board member has staff members under them. You could be in charge of sisterhood, organizing activities for all of your sisters. Or you could be an NYDM team captain, where you help your sorority sisters raise money for the annual New York Dance Marathon.

My fellow ambassador and friend Michelle is a first year student who joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority last fall. She told me: “Joining a sorority at NYU has allowed me to find a small community within such a large school like NYU. Kappa and the Panhellenic community is full of women uplifting and supporting each other. Kappa has given me my best friends for life that I know I wouldn’t have found anywhere else. While the recruitment process was daunting and I grew exhausted of hearing ‘trust the process,’ I really did end up finding a home in my sorority and my forever sisters.”

Tori, a friend of mine from the Politics Society, is the president of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. She told me: “When I had the opportunity to join Zeta Tau Alpha, I knew I couldn’t turn it down. Greek life provides more than social connections. As a member of a sorority, I’m able to connect with alumni and contribute to important causes. For ZTA, our philanthropy is breast cancer awareness and education. I am lucky to be a part of an organization that supports women and brings us together.”

It’s totally up to you! Joining a sorority is a personal choice, and it’s not for everyone. My sorority experience with Alpha Sigma Tau has been fantastic. My sisters are some of my best friends, and our events bring a lot of fun into my life. It’s comforting to know that even though I’m far from home, I have a group of girls I can rely on for anything I need. Sorority life makes NYU feel just a little bit smaller, but it also expands your horizons. The Panhellenic community is very close, and there are lots of opportunities to interact with girls from other sororities.