One of the most curious things about sorority life, before you've been a part of one, is what it must be like to live in the sorority house. Who gets to live there? Is it hard to live with so many girls in one house? What goes on in the house? We asked some of our members what their experience was like living in the ZTA house to hopefully answer some of those questions for you!

Q: What are your favorite things about living in the house?

A: Definitely always having someone there to do something. It’s never a dull moment. Having three roommates living in the room sounds like a nightmare but it turned out I never wanted to move out. From midnight runs to Walmart for face masks, to sharing each other's clothes for game day, to always having someone to run errands with. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else for my sophomore year at LSU. - Erin Ellison

A: Amazing food, living with my best friends, being comfortable around all girls 24/7, always having a quiet place to study, and it's so convenient for so many reasons. Transportation, coffee ready when you walk downstairs, always having a second closet, jewelry to borrow, a friend to hear me vent. And living in a mansion on the lake??? Who else can say they did that during their college years!!! -Camille Pourciau

A: Everything about the house is so convenient. We have an amazing chef that cooks us breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the school week, the bus stop is right in front of the house and the bus takes you right to class, there are great study spaces and always someone up late to cram with, it's like 5 steps from the UREC, and it's actually super cheap to live there. -Savannah Kirk

Roommates Sami Seiden, Jessie Ledet, and Samantha Larsen

Q: How many roommates did you have?

A: I lived in a 4 person bedroom (with 3 roommates) my first year and I've lived in 2 person rooms since then. I loved my hallway because I only had one actual roommate, but really we all shared all the rooms so I had 6 roommates and 3 rooms. -Jessica Signorelli

A: I had one roommate last year and this year I'll have 3! I'm excited to see how living in a 4 person bedroom is.

A: had 3 roommates last year because I was in a four-person room. It sounds like it would be a lot to live with so many people in one room but we actually had a lot of fun and grew closer. -Elise Hellstern

A: I ended up moving into a four-person room with girls I didn't know so well, but to my surprise the room was HUGE, had so much storage, and those girls ended up being very close friends. -Savannah Kirk

Q: Was living in the house an adjustment from living at home, in a dorm, or in an apartment?

A: My freshman year I lived at Miller in a three person dorm all to myself. Sounds like a dream come true but I was extremely lonely. Sophomore year I decided to live in ZTA at the last moment with girls I didn’t know and the became my best friends by the end of the year. So living with three other girls was a bit of an adjustment but in a good way. I always had someone to talk to and understand girl issues lol. I could talk about boys, school, any problem with no judgement. My roommates and I could talk about ANYTHING and that was one of my favorite things about living at ZTA. -Erin Ellison

A: It was an adjustment from living in the dorm but in a positive way. My dorm didn’t feel like home at all. The house was a complete upgrade from dorm life. -Elise Hellstern

A: If anything it was a relief because of how convenient the busses are that drive us to class! -Bethany Alleman

Roommates Gabrielle Nolan and Sara Pauley

Q: What's one memory that comes to mind during your time in the ZTA house?

A: One day, I was having a really bad day, so I went up to my friend's room and just cried and she comforted me. Then she found my old cheer uniforms I had in my room, so she and a few of our other friends put on my uniforms and we went in the chapter room and learned cheers. It definitely made my day better.

A: I always liked how when fun and exciting things happened everyone in the house celebrated together. When classes were cancelled because of the snow days, girls were running up and down the halls cheering. -Elise Helstern

A: The draco Malfoy epidemic of recruitment 2016 that lasted well into the fall 2016 semester – We had a Draco Malfoy life-size cut out and girls would hide him different places and scare the life out of each other! You’d hear someone scream bloody murder at 2 am and just laugh because you knew it was Malfoy… -Jessica Signorelli

A: The general feeling of walking downstairs to hot coffee, breakfast, and familiar faces every single morning. Also on occasion coming home to roommates who knew I was upset even when I didn't really want anyone to was priceless and made me feel so loved. -Savannah Kirk

Q: What's an average school day like for you living in the house?

A: I wake up to get ready for class, go downstairs to eat and wait for the bus, come back for lunch, and head back to class. After classes are over, I come home and walk to the UREC for my afternoon workout, come home in time for dinner and spend the rest of the night studying with my roommate and other girls on the hall! -Bethany Alleman

A: On the days that I worked, I would get up super early around 6 and leave for 6:30. Our chefs usually don't start breakfast until 7, but Chef Leslie always made sure to give me something to eat to-go because she knew I wouldn’t eat if she didn’t wrap me up something. Chef Leslie was sort of like a mom to me in that aspect because I know my mom would do the same thing for me if I still lived at home!
On the days that I did not work, I got up a little later around 7 and went to class. I always make a break in between classes to eat lunch bc I hate to miss meals our awesome chefs provide! I would come home for lunch around 12 with hot food waiting for me and I could always sit with a friend and gab or sit alone and look over my notes for my next class. It was the best of both worlds. It was always so hard leaving zeta to go back to class, but I always had my friends reminding me to go to class because they know I never wanted to leave! -Camille Pourciau

A: I had class at 8:30 (never pick a 8:30 if you can) so I would wake up pretty early and come down stairs to a gourmet breakfast and wake to classes shoving it down my throat. After class I would also come back for a great lunch and still a bunch of my friends or either go up stairs to my room and take a nap or TRY to go to the gym. I always stayed up really late studying at the library or downstairs with my roommate. It’s pretty normal living at the house besides there's always something to do with someone. -Erin Ellison

First day of classes calls a picture in front of the house!

Q: Did living in the ZTA house affect your role as a member?

A: I originally decided to move into the house because I didn’t feel a super strong connection at first to Zeta outside of my zeta family and my big said it was a great way to meet new people and make friends, so I gave it a try. Once in the house, I really did make so many more friends and built the strong connection that I have to ZTA now! I really do think that if I hadn’t moved into the house that I would not be where I am now – still living in the house as a 5th year! -Jessica Signorelli

A: YES! It helped me make the decision to apply for Executive Council! I wanted to be so much more involved because I got to know so many more members of our chapter that helped me love zeta even more than I could imagine. I am now the ZTA house manager and I couldn’t of picked a better role for me. I get to be in charge of making every other girl love not only the zeta house, but zeta as much as me!!! Its such an honor!!! -Camille Pourciau

A: Living in the house has made me a more involved and caring member. Attending meetings in the house has become so convenient and makes my daily schedule less stressful because all I have to do is come downstairs! -Bethany Alleman

Roommates Alysia DesCoteaux, and Audrey Martin

Q: Would you recommend living in the house to a PNM or new member?

A: I'm about as introverted as a person gets and I'm definitely not a girly-girl. I love my alone time and having my own space and I was honestly a little disappointed at first when the stipulation for being on the Executive Committee was to live in the house, which meant moving out of my apartment and into a four-person bedroom. But to all those people out there like me, I'm so glad that I did. Living in the house can be for anyone and everyone. I never thought Zeta could feel so much like home and I never thought living with three other girls could make my semester so much better. I still get plenty of alone time and I made so many closer friendships. I recommend living in the house to anyone. -Savannah Kirk

A: The experience for me is one I will always have even after graduation. I would 100% recommend it to a PNM or new member. My advice is that you have your entire life to live in an apartment, but you only have a few years to live in your sorority house because after you graduate that opportunity will be gone. -Elise Hellstern

A: I WOULD TELL A RANDOM PERSON ON THE STREET TO LIVE IN THE ZETA HOUSE. - Camille Pourciau

A: If there was one thing I could change, I would have moved in earlier. Living at ZTA with three roommates might not sound like your cup of tea, trust me I felt the same. I like having my space but honestly, I wouldn’t wanna live anywhere else. Those three strangers have turned into some of my best friends. I hope everyone thinks about living in the house and makes some great memories like I did because I will truly miss it. Take advantage of your opportunity because they don’t last forever. ZLAM -Erin Ellison

The Zeta Tau Alpha house currently houses 54 girls and all bedrooms were renovated just under 3 years ago. Unlike some sorority houses, girls from all pledge classes live in the ZTA house and some move in as early as their second semester of freshman year based on a points system. There are 17 two-person style bedrooms and 5 four-person style bedrooms with modernized hall bathrooms.

If you've ever thought about living in a sorority house but didn't think it is for you or wanted to know more about it, we hoped this post helped!

ZLAM

Living in the Zeta House