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Joining a Sorority Later in Life Was the Best Thing for Me

When they say that sorority membership is for anyone and everyone, they really do mean it. Trust me when I say I know from experience how welcoming sorority members are for everyone no matter what part of their life they are in. Let me give you a little backstory about myself – I am 26 years old. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in May of 2020 at 25, and at the age of 24, I joined my sorority.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself the same question that I asked myself at the beginning of all of this. Why did I choose to join a place that is primarily 18-21 years old when I am in my mid-20s?

Looking for Acceptance

When I first graduated high school and went to my first college, all I wanted to do was join a sorority. The sorority life had always interested me. I loved what these girls stood for and the community they created. That first school didn’t work out for me as I had hoped, and so I returned home and took a break from school for a few years. When I was ready to go back to school, I still wanted to be a part of a sorority and everything I had loved about it. I was uneasy at first because I kept wondering who would willingly want to add a 24-year-old to their sisterhood? I am so glad that Delta Gamma did want a 24-year-old because it made my life (and college years) better.

During recruitment, I wasn’t shy about telling the women how old I was because it was important to me that they accepted me for me. But I also told them that I was looking for a sorority that has the same values as me. Friendship and loyalty were key for me because I wanted the bond and the community I saw at my old school. The biggest value for me though was academics. My last school didn’t go like planned for me so it was important that this school be better and that I would have people to hold me accountable to my goals and plans. The women at Delta Gamma held my same values, so it was a perfect fit.

Finding My Home

From day one, I felt comfortable and welcomed in my sorority. Everyone rooted for each other and wanted everyone to succeed in everything they did. Having that support system pushed me to better myself and go after what I wanted. When my first semester didn’t go as well as I was hoping, they still rallied around me and helped me get back to where I needed to be. I genuinely believe that the women in that chapter saved me, my sanity, and my GPA.

I never really felt like I was 24-25 years old when I was around the other women. It was a mix of me never truly acting like a real mid-20s adult, and the members of Delta Gamma being a mature group of women. It was the perfect mix of everything I needed to feel included. It became an ongoing joke between all of us about how old I was compared to everyone else. We bonded like any normal college students would and age was no issue. My Delta Gamma sisters made me believe that a late-night McDonald’s run with them would solve all life’s issues.

Brushing Away the Nerves

Joining a sorority at my age was nerve-racking. Would they accept me? Do they think I’m silly for wanting to join? Is this the right move for me? I am so glad that I calmed my nerves and decided to go through with it because it was everything I needed and it made me into the person I currently am. Being in a sorority at my age truly made me realize that sorority life is for everyone and anyone. If you are worried about going through recruitment because you don’t know if they will accept you for your true self, take it from me, the 26-year-old Delta Gamma Alumna currently writing this, they will accept you and they will love you.

Nici Fannin

Nici is a member of Delta Gamma from the Delta Nu chapter. She attended Northern Illinois University where she earned a bachelor’s in communications.

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