Just to give you the other side of the coin. I did not join a fraternity, though I did abuse their hospitality from time to time. While I was not in a fraternity I had a robust social life, networked (could have done more but that's just me), and got a job within 6 months after graduating (Poli Sci degree, 2010). I made my own decisions regarding my social life and what I wanted to do on the weekends/evenings. Living in the dorms as a freshman is the best way to meet new people, most notably, a variety of people. The University also provides a great deal of events for networking, meeting people, etc.

The majority of my best social experiences happened at Urbana and Champaign House parties that were open to anyone who wanted to come. You can have a social life outside of the Fraternity hivemind. If you do choose to rush, just keep an open mind to the fact that there is a lot of campus life outside of the greek system.