This semester, I found myself doing something I never thought I would: I completed the new member process for one of the national sororities on my university’s campus. In all honesty, I am beyond thankful for the 8-10 week period, which seemed like an eternity, because I have made memories and friends that I will cherish for years to come. Not only did I make lifelong friends and memories, but I also learned so much about myself and life. Below are five things that the new member process taught me.

1. Being good at small talk is an extremely underrated skill.

Talking has never been a problem for me. If I do say so myself, I am good at meeting new people and diverting the awkwardness in uncomfortable social situations. However, rush week is a whole ‘nother story. Meeting new people for hours on end and finding things to converse about is honestly so much more difficult and awkward than it seems. But thanks to the new member process you can now throw me into a room full of people I have never met and I am confident that I would be able to hold my own.

2. You don't have to be friends with everyone.

The new member process also taught me that it is okay if you are not friends with everyone. Simply stated, some people are just not meant to get along and that is perfectly okay. But, this leads me into my next point.2.

3. How to be nice, not fake, to people you don't like.

As stated above, it is perfectly normal to not get along with everyone. But, that does not mean that that is your hall pass to be mean. Honestly, dealing with people you may not necessarily like or get along with is a part of life but especially a part of the new member process. I for one can say that there have been moments during my process where I was in situations that I didn’t necessarily want to be in and therefore had to deal with people I didn’t necessarily want to deal with. However, my process taught me the importance of being polite, nonetheless.

4. You are capable of so much more than you ever thought.

Juggling a new member process, schoolwork, friendships, and relationships might as well be an Olympic sport. I mean cmon, college presents its own set of obstacles but now add in being involved with an organization. Based on my own experience, during my new member process, my daily routine consisted of eating, sleeping (barely), school, and sorority related activities. There have been a handful of times when I was sure I would never make it but here I am. I made it and now I have beautiful letters and an even more beautiful fam.

5. Time management is important.

It is not an exaggeration when I say that taking part in the new member process is a 24/7 extracurricular. While taking part in the new member process, it is also important to remember that a college education should be your main priority. Therefore, pretty early on in the process, you learn that if you do not manage your time properly, it is likely that you will fall behind in both your studies and your process activities. During my process, my planner became my best friend.