Nursing and Sorority?

doctoral_candidate17, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 12, 2017

You are capable of doing anything you set your mind to and work for in my opinion. The biggest factor you want to consider is your future reputation and how the sorority may impact that. Many young ladies are in sororities only to find out the reputation or what they did during their time there haunts them professionally. Keep in mind when joining a sorority you are now a member of a group of people. You are labeled in society according to all members of that group. So even if you are a saint and on your best behavior ... your lil or big's behavior could have a negative impact on your reputation. Just some food for thought ...

crazydoglady89 · Mar 12, 2017

If you are a "little skeptical" about going through with it, why bother?

I appreciate greek life, but it's one of those things where if it goes bad, it's BAD. I participated in a business fraternity (it was co-ed, I'm a woman) and that gave me the "social" aspect I was looking for, but more professional development. We had fun and partied, but we never did any of the illegal activity (serving alcohol to minors, etc) that regular fraternities and sororities often participate in.

Let me ask you, why are YOU feeling skeptical? In my experience, pledging the non-professional greek organizations was almost all consuming. I know a lot of people who failed a semester or barely scraped by. A lot of the pledging activities seemed really silly to me, and some of them were downright disgusting. The sororities in my Uni had awful reputations. I honestly don't understand why women pledged them knowing what they did. I was good friends with a lot of the women, and all they seemed to do was complain about anyone outside their pledge class. And pay hundreds of dollars per semester for the privilege.

I'm not trying to be a negative nancy, but at this point, I wouldn't personally do one. Getting in trouble because of the poor conduct of one of your members is bad for everyone.

missk729, BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2017

I am only skeptical about it due to time management. If I pledged this semester (which is less heavy than next semester) I would have more time for all the pledging activities. Next semester would be my first semester active in ZPB

doctoral_candidate17, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 13, 2017

I am only skeptical about it due to time management. If I pledged this semester (which is less heavy than next semester) I would have more time for all the pledging activities. Next semester would be my first semester active in ZPB

Time management certainly is a valid concern. Just keep your overall end life-goals in mind. There have been plenty of times where I would rather be doing something else that wasn't related to career preparation but ultimately I had to put my nursing career first.

Completely up to you though ... best of luck in the decision making process.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Mar 13, 2017

My daughter was heavily recruited at her university. But in the end, she decided that 'paying to have friends' was not worth the tremendous time demands and borderline questionable activities.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 14, 2017

I am only skeptical about it due to time management. If I pledged this semester (which is less heavy than next semester) I would have more time for all the pledging activities. Next semester would be my first semester active in ZPB

As someone who went Greek--although not in a nursing program at the time--pledging is pretty time-intensive. No, it doesn't consume every free moment you have, but expect to give up at least 2 days a week to pledge activities. Once you're initiated as a sister, it eases up a bit, but still, at least one day a week will be written off to sorority stuff.

But keep your eye on the bigger picture. Going Greek can be a very fun and rewarding experience...but at the same time, remember that you are in college to get an education, not a social life. Your studies should never take a back seat to anything, not even the sorority. And don't neglect your other interests, personal or professional, in favor of sorority life.

You also need to remember that what you do in college can have repercussions on your career (and they can be good or bad repercussions, depending on what those activities are). And there will be times you'll have to decide what to do--or what not to do--because of how it could affect your studies/career/reputation. If that means you don't want to party Thursday through Sunday every weekend, choose not to spend all your free time hanging out at the house, be a teetotaler, and/or refuse to engage in questionable/illegal activities, then so be it.

Best of luck whatever you decide.