1. Pregaming for most of the night. You never get to the bars before midnight, even though they close at 2.
2. Spending one entire day going to Michael's, Target, the dollar store, and Walmart to get everything you need to make a costume for a theme party. Because in order to take cute pictures, your costume has to be perfect.
3. Spending another entire day making said costumes.
4. Passing back fake IDs. Just because you have five IDs doesn't mean 10 people can't go to the bar.
5. When you get rejected at a bar, hiding in the alleyway until someone who didn't texts you that the bouncer changed. Being in a sorority means never leaving a sister behind. At a bar, in life, etc.
6. Sucking up to the juniors and seniors who vaguely resemble you so they'll give you their IDs. There's really no need for this, because of course they'll give them to you. #Sisterhood.
7. Drinking, straightening your hair, putting on makeup, and singing along to your pregame mix into the mirror with seven girls. A silly, super fun, and unintentional ritual that ends up being more fun than the frat party most of the time anyway.
8. Pregaming so hard for your (open bar) formal that you barely even need to drink at it. Because if not you will inevitably spend more time in the bar line than you will dancing.
9. Watching YouTube tutorials on how to tie a toga, because yes, toga parties are real. Making a toga is like riding a bike: Once you've nailed your first one, it's a life skill that never leaves you.
10. However, you inevitably just gather in the room of the one girl who figured it out and make her tie a dozen togas.
11. Going out 20 people deep to everything. Minimum. Going to the bar is only fun if you have taken over the bar completely.
12. The stress of designing the perfect T-shirt for any and all day-drinking events at frat houses. DKE volleyball jokes don't write themselves.
13. Having your sorority family dress you up in a ridiculous/embarrassing outfit, drinking at literally every bar and seeing everyone you know, and still calling senior bar crawl the best night.
14. It's not a birthday if you don't go sake bombing with your whole pledge class. After all pregaming, getting ready, and making birthday accessories in the same room, obviously.
15. Immediately locating the punch at the party. And comparing it to the jungle juice at the previous house. Good punch is hard to come by.
16. Stampeding to the dance floor in a jubilant love mess every time one of your rush songs comes on. For the rest of your life, you will never sing "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" with its original lyrics.
17. Ditto for pledge class songs. Did you ever think you'd feel love for "Bad Touch"? Did you ever think you'd still feel love for "Bad Touch" at 28?
18. Falling in love with your lineage all over again. Your little little somehow becomes your favorite person on this earth at every frat party.
19. The pressure of finding the perfect (or opposite of perfect) date for a crush party. Do you want her to get screwed literally or figuratively at the Screw Your Sister?
20. Knowing there is no worse punishment than having to be a Sober Sister at a semiformal. Even though you probably will end up finding a freshman to take your place.
21. Sitting around the kitchen telling your stories and trying to piece together your crazy nights in the morning. Again, more fun than the frat house the night before.
22. With at least two bagels.
Related:
14 Things Not to Say to a Sorority Girl
19 Signs You Were in a Sorority
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Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures
Tess Koman covers breaking (food) news, opinion pieces, and features on larger happenings in the food world. She oversees editorial content on Delish. Her work has appeared on Cosmopolitan.com, Elle.com, and Esquire.com.
