Greek Speak: Battle of the Pledge Classes

By Sorority Girl

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Not all stereotypes about sororities are true. We don’t have naked pillow fights in the living room. We don’t all want to date the captain of the football team. We don’t have insane rivalries with other sororities. But here’s a stereotype about sororities I can’t even try to hide: pledge class rivalries. EVERY house has them, and if you are reading this now and thinking to yourself that your sorority doesn’t, you’re lying. Let’s be real, K? K.

So what do you new members and potential sorority sisters have to look forward to? I’m gonna give you a little heads up. Now when the older sisters give you the stink eye as you dance on a table at your annual end-of-finals mixer, you’ll know what to expect. And not to take it too personally.

Just wait, you’ll get you’ll get your turn…
I’ve seen it every year, even as a freshman. The youngest pledge class tries to take over the chapter. It’s just not. gonna. happen. Every pledge class will get their chance to ‘rule’ the house, but that will definitely not come until you are a senior. Get over it. Respect it. Up until the year you earn seniority, you will have to work your butt off gain admiration from the other women in the house. Is it true that we are all sisters and (for the most part) love each other like blood? Duh. But, it is also true that there is a “respect your elders” aspect in almost every house. It’s just how it goes and you’ll see that pretty quickly. Them’s the breaks.

But, don’t hate them for no reason…
The freshmen are always awful, right? They don’t do anything, right? They are always breaking all the rules. They go embarrassingly wild at the frats and damage the chapter’s rep beyond belief… WRONG. Okay, occasionally we all get an “off” pledge class or a few “off” members here and there, but most of the time there is no sane reason to punish new members just for being new members. That’s called hazing, people, and let’s steer very, VERY clear of that. If we “hate on” the new members for no reason, we start a pattern that forms a tradition, and they will do it to the new members when they are older. Unnecessary.

But when duty calls…
Controversial? Yes. But there is a need for this little hierarchy I’m calling pledge class rivalries. And let’s not forget: seniors are always on top no matter how unfair it seems. Trust me, there will be a time when you will understand. They’ve been in the house for the longest, which means that they know best. SO, when they call an all-house meeting at 1am to discuss their new theory on how to get your house back “on top”… just go. And at the end of that meeting when they want to have an all-house group hug or tell stories that seem endless from when they were “your age”… just spread your arms and hug it out.

Look, rivalries between pledges classes do have the capacity to divide a house, but only if you let them. If you know what to expect and go with the flow, they can also bring members (especially within pledge classes) together.

How have pledge class rivalries affected your house? Your experience with Greek Life? Let’s talk it out.

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