I don’t have many regrets from college, but I do regret not making more friends with other sorority women. My school, like many others, was filled with women who found their friend group and never ventured out of it. Sorority women would mostly socialize with their organization or Panhellenic women with whom they would host events. Everyone would stay with “their people,” which bothered me a lot. Branching out and making friends with other sorority women showed me the benefits of befriending women outside of my own sorority.

I made a few friends in other sororities from different councils. I had a friend who was in Alpha Xi Delta, and a few others in Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority, Inc. It was great having some form of diversity within my friend group, but I wish there was more. After I attended the National Greek Leadership Association (NGLA) Conference, I realized that I should have introduced myself to other sorority women.

Building relationships with other sorority women on campus can benefit your life in many ways. How? Here are a few:

1. It Creates a Stronger Connection

One of the main reasons for joining a sorority is to make connections and build a network. We have our own organization to network with, along with a whole other community of different sororities. Sororities all have women who want to support other women and better the world around them. By connecting with other women who have similar values, you can develop meaningful relationships and build your network.

After I graduated college, I joined sorority alumnae groups on Facebook, where I was able to connect with other sorority women from all over the country. This provided a new understanding of sorority life, and what each organization had to offer its members. I have been able to learn more about women, their career paths and personal goals. Using this virtual network even helped me get my first job out of college. 

2. We Learn the Purpose and Values of Other Organizations

I learned a completely different angle on sorority life by making friends in other sororities. One example is making friends in other fraternal councils. I have friends who are members of Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority, Inc., where I was able to learn a little bit about their culture and values, and how the experience is different from being in a National Panhellenic Conference  (NPC) sorority. It’s very interesting to learn the traditions and values they have and live by. It was also interesting to know that each sorority is unique. Learning about other organizations brought an appreciation for their experience and mine. It also showed me that we have differences in our organizations, but we also have many similarities. All our organizations value connection and sisterhood. We strive for similar goals and to empower and uplift women.

3. It Impacts the Fraternal Sisterhood

It’s always important to spend time with our own members. One of the biggest things to remember is that we’re all sorority women. It doesn’t matter what letters we wear, but about the support we provide each other. Always remember that the main core of sisterhood is support and connections. We learn from each other and grow together. The more we expand our connections to other sororities, the more knowledge, personal growth and life-long friendships we can obtain. Fraternal unity is the epitome of building sorority connections. Creating and building that unity creates a more welcoming environment on your campus. Building strong connections between organizations also allows potential members to see the welcoming fraternal community which benefits all sorority organizations.