Help!!!!! Freshman struggling with stubborn parents

point out that rush is a great chance to meet people and will give you tons of opportunities in college

tbh i rushed as a sophomore and i desperately wish i would’ve rushed as a freshman. i basically did what your mom wants you to do lol and i got extremely depressed bc i wasn’t making friends and my friends/roomie who had rushed sororities were more focused on hanging out and going out with their own chapters. (obvi not the case for everyone, plenty of ppl have great freshmen/college years without being in greek life)

and its not just for social reasons that i would rush beforehand. older girls in your chapter usually LOVE to help younger girls — be it by helping you pick your class schedule if you’re in the same major to encouraging you to join and apply for orgs. i WISH i had someone who could’ve encouraged me to be more involved in freshman year bc it really does set the tone for the rest of your college career.

HOWEVER, sororities are hella expensive, esp at Bama. if ur parents can’t (or won’t) pay for it, you would have to use financial aid/take out loans or get a job. If it’s simply something u can’t afford rn then waiting a year while working is your best option!

Tell your parents that Alabama is a school with 31000 undergrad students. It’s easy to get lost and feel alone. Greek life provides a home base and a network for making friends as well as dining and housing opportunities that aren’t found anywhere else on campus. Sororities also promote academic excellence and have behavioral expectations with a standards committee. It really is a benefit to the college experience and not a hindrance. If this fails,
Tell them you will drop after the first semester if your grades aren’t solid.

If they won't support you, it isn't going to work. It's SO HARD to make enough money to cover dues/spending money/Greek extra expenses. I know I have to do it. I have a really good job during the summer and make $1000 a week (golf card girl at a country club), work all summer and money is still tight. I go home one weekend a month to work and literally hate it. I feel like I miss out on so much. I will say it's worth it to me. My parents fully support me being in Greek life just can't/won't pay for it.

My heart really goes out to you on this one. You have received some honest and solid advice. I do think it will be extremely tough and nearly impossible if you don't have some financial support from your parents. Maybe what you could do is have a talk with them and state the benefits of being in a sorority at Bama. (smoother college transition, fast pathway to friendships, a home base away from home, academic support system, mentors, dining/housing opportunities going forward, networking etc) See if you can convince them to support you for a semester (in combination with what you earned from your summer job); and if you prove to them that this was a solid experience for you maybe they will allow you to continue.

Bama is a really large school and it will be tough not to be part of Greek life. You can still have a nice college experience, but I know people that have struggled. They made friends with the few on their hall that did not pledge, but it was rough at times. You will really need to join other clubs and be active in any way you can. Good Luck.