Getting involved in a sorority can be a challenging task. We think that as soon as we join, we will have a hundred best friends, but the truth is relationships take work. Today on the blog I am going to give you 31 simple tasks you can do to get more involved with your sorority. These ideas are great for introverts and extroverts alike!
One thing my sorority taught me is to receive much you must give much. I hope these 31 ideas will help you get more involved in your sorority, no matter if you are a new sister or a senior.
A note before we start: not all of the things on this list are for you to be endlessly praised by your sisters. Some of these items will just make you feel more involved and by relation, help you feel better about your sorority experience. Don't get involved just for show, do this because you want to get closer to your sisters and make connections with them.
1. Write A Sweet Note On Someone's Facebook Wall
You have no idea how much you can make someone's morning with a simple note on their Facebook wall. While you are waiting for class one day, take out your phone, and write a quick note to someone in the chapter who inspires you. Publish that note on their Facebook wall, and commence to make someone's day.
2. Write A Handwritten Note To Someone Who Encourages You In The Chapter
Like #1, a handwritten note can also be just as impressive, if not more so. People love a nice thank you note. So, get some stationery with your sororities name on it (I love the stationery from Sorority Girl Store) and use that to share a beautiful message with as many of your sisters as you would like.
3. Wear Your Letters Every Day For a Week (And Document It)
This works better if you have a ton of sorority shirt. My last semester of college I was feeling a little off my sorority involvement game, so I gathered some of my favorite sorority shirts and I wore one each day. Sometimes I wore a letter shirt, sometimes I wore a screen printed shirt, and once I wore a button because I got a new shirt that I wanted to wear more that day. Then I documented this on my personal Instagram each day. It was a way for me to reconnect with my letters and my sisters. You can do the same thing, and if you don't have a ton of shirts, buy some buttons instead!
4. Bring A Treat To Chapter Meeting
With Halloween quickly approaching, it's the perfect time to share your love with your chapter by bringing a treat to chapter meeting. At my school, we met every Tuesday and it was during dinner time. A bunch of people in a room during dinner time can get cranky if the meeting takes a while. So bake or buy some cookies, candy, or even some cupcakes and bring them to chapter meeting. Your sisters will definitely appreciate the snack. If cupcakes aren't in your range, even just a bowl of candy will be appreciated, I promise!
5. Help A Sister With Her Homework
A big part of sorority life is school work. You can't continue to be in a sorority if you don't have a certain GPA after all. If you have some knowledge, help your sister's study for a test, fill out their homework, or anything study related. Your sisters will appreciate the help and get to know you better.
6. Spam A Sister With Instagram/Facebook Likes
This is one of the easiest tasks on this list as it can be done almost mindlessly (but I would put a little effort into it though.) Go to Facebook or Instagram and scroll through, find the first sister you come across and spam her page with likes and comments. Most people love the feeling of their phone blowing up with notifications, and as long as you don't continuously do this to the same person all the time, it won't look weird. Just take your time and like their most recent 20-30 pictures or statuses. Also, comment on a couple here and there.
7. Bring Coffee/Food To A Sister Studying In The Library
If you stop by Starbucks before you go to the library, get another Starbucks drink while you are there to pass out to a sister studying in the library. It's Pumpkin Spice Latte season, and almost everyone is waiting patiently in line to drink their PSLs (even if they don't say so or try to act like PSLs are the most basic thing in the world.) So, don't be afraid to offer a drink. Not everyone drinks coffee, so your drink may not always be accepted, but don't take it personally!
8. Go To An Intramural Game And Cheer On The team
Intramurals can be so fun, especially when you have a bunch of sisters cheering the intramural team on. I am aware that intramural sports aren't for everyone (I participated once–in a “cross-country” type of walking/running event, never again after that, I almost keeled over, sports are not for me.) In college, I loved to attend the intramural games though, especially when they were in the outside sports season because I lived across the street from the intramural fields for my Junior and Senior year. If you can take the time, go and cheer your sisters on. Posters and fun cheers encouraged!
9. Help Clean The Chapter Room
The chapter room/house is so essential to your sorority. Those parts of the house that are frequented by guests need to be kept as clean as possible. If you have a person who is in charge of that, volunteer to help them clean the room during their next clean up session. The room will get cleaned faster, and the person you are helping will adore you for it.
Alternatively, clean up randomly when you see trash being left in the chapter room. Some people just aren't great at cleaning up after themselves, so if you see a piece of trash here and there, pick it up and throw it away.
10. Ask The Officer Team Or A Chairperson If They Need Help With Something
There are always things that need to be done, and sometimes they can't all be done by one person. Ask people in your officer team or people who hold chair positions if they need help with something on their plate. Especially, if you can connect with someone who holds a position you want in the future.
11. Donate To A Sister's Favorite Cause
This is just a sweet task to do, but if you know a sister's favorite cause, donate. You can even donate in their name if you want to make it extra special! Be genuine about this and let them know that you appreciate them for introducing you to the cause or charity.
Alternatively, if donating is too much money, volunteer for the cause! Chances are, you need volunteer hours for your sorority anyway, so you may as well use them for a cause one of your favorite sisters love.
12. Ask A Sister To A Lunch Date
It's so easy to think that just because a sister hasn't asked you out for a lunch date, they don't want to go with you. Sometimes it seems that lunch dates are intimate, but they don't have to be. Ask a sister or a group of sisters to eat lunch on campus one day and make a true connection. Try to be as in the moment as you can with them!
13. Get To Know Any Sister You Have A Class With
Having a class with a sister is a positive thing! It's the perfect excuse to get to know them because you can study with them and even sit by them without it being a huge deal. For some, the sister connection will never feel like enough right off the bat, so when you add sisters who have class together, it can make it easy to form a bond. So, get to know the sisters you have a class with and study with them outside of class!
14. Introduce Yourself To A Sister You Haven't Spoken To
As you are getting acquainted with sorority life, or even after a while, there may be sisters you haven't completely met yet. Introduce yourself and get to know them! It's a simple task that gets you involved with new people.
15. Get Involved In An Intramural Sport/dance
We talked about my dislike of intramural sports earlier. I also have a huge dislike of dances, but I participated in a quick dance routine once (and hated it.) If I can do both, you can too (trust me, I am not talented at all.)
So, do it once for participation sake. You can get to know new women you would never have hung out with otherwise, and you may even be surprised to find out that you like sports!
16. Join A Committee
Committees are a great, easy way to get involved in your sorority. I like committees because they are a team. If the committee works as it should, you shouldn't be holding all the responsibility. Also, you get the chance to meet many different people. The best thing about committees for introverts is that you are meeting to accomplish a task. Sometimes it's difficult for introverts to ask people to meet just to meet, and with a committee, you always have a purpose.
17. Pay Your Dues On Time
This one won't necessarily get your brownie points with your entire chapter, but it will with your chapter treasurer. This is a friendly reminder to pay your dues on time because it helps the entire chapter!
18. Speak Up In Chapter Meeting
Asking a question, or just sharing a message in chapter meeting when the time is right is a great way to be involved. If your sisters seem confused about something, or you are just confused, don't be afraid to ask your question. Even if it takes a few second out of chapter meeting, you may help someone else who is confused, and more people will get to know your voice and face.
19. Be There For A Sister Who Is In Pageants Or Sports
If you have a sister who participates in university-level sports or a sister who is doing a pageant, attend them! Your sister will be so happy to see you, and it will give them the boost of confidence they need to go on. It's great to go to events that aren't mandatory or even on the radar of your sorority sometimes.
20. Stay To Clean Up After An Event
Events happen all the time, and it's hard to get people to clean up after them. If you know your sorority is putting on a philanthropy event, don't just leave after it's over! See if you can stick around and help your philanthropy chair clean up. It's a simple task that will make a big impact. The same can be said of any event your sorority hosts.
21. Have A Positive Attitude At All Greek Events
A positive attitude and a smile go a long way. Even if you aren't as involved as you can be, people will notice your smile. If you always have a kind thought and you don't complain when events take place, people will recognize that about you.
22. Be On Time For Events & Meetings
As a person who would rather be early than on-time, I can't tell you how much it secretly annoyed me when people were late to things. I tried not to let it show, but if you say you will be somewhere at a certain time, be there. Also, there are just certain events that will always start at a certain time. For instance, chapter meetings. Being on time is just a common courtesy, and it can even help you stand out if you are consistently on time to things.
23. Chat With Alumnae At Events
Alumnae love when current members chat with them during alumnae events like Homecoming. It can be a daunting task, but alumnae were once in your shoes! Also, alumnae expect the conversations to be small talk; you just met after all! So get out of your comfort zone and strike up a conversation.
24. Support Sisters When They Are Going Through Tough Times
It's always great to support a sister if they are going through a rough time. Don't ever be afraid to text a sister and let them know that you are thinking of them, or even hang out with them to cheer them up! You never know what a kind olive branch may do to help a sister feel loved!
25. Be Extra Prepared And Help Sisters During Recruitment
Formal and even informal recruitment can put a lot of stress on sisters. If you can be a little extra prepared, that can really help your sisters in their time of need. You may want to bring some pads and tampons, a couple extra hair ties, some extra bobby pins, and even a sewing kit or first aid kit. Obviously you don't have to stock up on everything, but if you remember to grab a few extra things, don't hesitate to share. A sister is bound to need one or all of the things I mentioned at one point during recruitment, and you will be there to save the day!
26. Take Sorority Fundraisers Seriously
Those Yankee Candles aren't going to sell themselves! Yes, sorority fundraisers do take a lot of energy that you may want to spend elsewhere, but they can be really helpful for donating to charity and helping your chapter. Take them seriously and get your stuff sold because that will make a bigger impact on the sorority and the world at large than you know.
27. Be present When You Are Hanging Out With Sisters
In a world where there is always 100 million things happening, be in the moment! Our generation is so notorious for not paying attention. People will follow your lead though! Be present, and be in the moment when you are hanging out with your sisters. This way, you get the most out of every interaction you have.
28. Help Paint A Banner/Other Sorority Goodies
If you are talented in the arts and crafts department, use that to your advantage. Participate in any and all chances to craft with your sisters because that's when the real bonding happens. Also, lend a hand to other people in the sorority who need crafting help. during times like big/little week if you have been in the chapter for a while.
29. Leave Cute Notes For Your Sisters To Find
Your sisters may not know that these notes are from you, but they will love how it made them feel. Get some sticky notes and leave cute notes on people's notebooks, planners, and other things that they would actually grab. You may not want to leave them around the chapter room, but instead on actual belongings that way they are more likely to actually find them.
30. Be Open About Your Sorority Love
Shout your love of your letters anytime you can. If you are a proud sister, you should show that in whichever way you can! This is an easy task that almost everyone can do. Be proud of your letters and what they represent.
31. Showcase Greek Life In A Positive Manner In Life And Online
Last, but not least, show Greek life in a positive manner. When Greek life is in the news, it's often because something negative happens. The news forgets all the amazing things that Greek organizations do every day, and so do your friends and family if you don't remind them! Showcase the positive side of Greek life and be the positive side of Greek life every single day!
Conclusion
I hope you loved today's article. I am all about getting involved in your sorority. It's more than joining, it's also about participating. If you participate in sorority activities, you can grow as a person and as a sorority sister.