If you live on campus, you may have looked outside your window the weekend of Sept. 20 and seen a crowd of young girls dressed in colorful, flashy dresses. If you looked even harder, you may have also noticed the horde marching past your residence hall, following behind a leader holding up a large number sign. What you saw at this exact moment was, in fact, not a cult, but the 2025 Northeastern sorority recruitment — and this year, more students “rushed” than ever before.
But that’s also what the numbers said last year. With both sororities and fraternities, it seems that every year, recruitment intensifies, and more students find themselves searching for a place to belong. I can’t help but wonder: Why is rushing a growing phenomenon at Northeastern every new year? But, more importantly, does it have to do with N.U.in students struggling to make friends in Boston?
Since I was young, college seemed like a place where people come together and find their “forever people.” For me, first-year was all about making new friends, having fun and creating my own “big-girl” experiences — and studying too, of course. But the best part of it all is finding a community you can rely on for the rest of your life.
This all seemed true until I realized that I would be embarking my first year of college outside the main campus in Boston.
At Northeastern, the first-year is peculiar for most. You might find yourself studying in the heart of London, among the beautiful architecture of Rome or maybe even on a warm beach in Greece. But what’s certain is that studying abroad is not what you would expect out of your first semester or year away from home.
As someone who spent their first year as a London Scholar, I spent most of my time creating my own unique experiences with a much smaller cohort. But as the 2025 school year kicked off, I realized that I actually don’t know anyone on campus who started their freshman year at Boston.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the friends I made in London. But, it was clear that I was stuck in an enclave of the same “London people” or, as I’ve heard many say, “N.U.in bubble.” By the end of my first week in Boston, I had no clue how to make new friends. Similar to my story, this is the reason I’ve heard many students cite for rushing their second-year of college at Northeastern because, in reality, making friends is hard.
As incoming students, we always follow the same three rules: join clubs, attend school events and socialize at parties. But as it turns out, all of this is harder than you think. Believe it or not, Boston people hang out with Boston people, London people hang out with London people and so on. Even if you want to branch out, it takes courage to walk up to a group of random girls. Even while thinking about doing so, your brain is racking with all the horrible ways you could embarrass yourself if you do.
Let’s say, at a school club, you walk up to some girls and make small talk. You may have made acquaintances, but have you made friends? Becoming friends with people isn’t always easy, it takes consistency. You may build up the courage to talk to someone new, but it takes several hangouts, texts and authentic time outside of that environment to nurture a close friend.
On the other hand, with sororities, your job is to socialize. That’s the whole point. There’s no fear of walking up to someone and them ignoring you because that’s exactly what rushing is — talking to people! By the end of the recruitment process, you’re gifted with a community that you know is consistent and there to uplift your wins. Greek life consists of bonding opportunities such as sisterhood events, formal dances and even “Big-Little” arrangements where an original member pairs up with a new member to support their adjustment to college. Altogether, Greek life provides a safe space to grow and learn through friendship, mentorship and a number of worthwhile experiences. In other words, you find a home away from home.
But it shouldn’t always have to be this way. The fact that many students come to Boston feeling like they are trapped inside a “study abroad bubble” — and, consequently, find it hard to make friends — prompts me to consider: What is Northeastern doing to help study abroad students adjust to Boston?
Although being in a sorority is a great way to make the transition easier, rushing is not for everyone. If displacement is the central drive behind why most students take their chances with recruitment, perhaps Northeastern should create alternative ways to help students who have studied abroad feel more at home in Boston.
Sylvia Park is a second-year business administration and psychology combined major. She can be reached at [email protected].
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