This week is rush week for sororities at Villanova. The whole rush experience has always been portrayed as this intense, emotionally stressful experience that lots of girls choose to put themselves through. I, however, don't like to jump to conclusions about a process that varies so much from school to school. Everyone is going to have a different experience, but personally, being in a sorority is not something that I ever dreamed about doing.

The rush experience tends to be much more intense and important down south in states like North Carolina. Luckily, here at Villanova, girls who don't choose to rush don't feel as lost and out of place as they would at some schools down south. This is part of what led me to choose Villanova in the end. I know that even if I'm not in a sorority, I will still have a place in the community.

When I tell people that I'm not rushing and that I can't ever really imagine myself being in a sorority, lots of them ask why. They ask, "Do you not want the camaraderie?", and I even had someone say, "Oh, so you're saying you just don't want the gift of having sorority sisters and lifelong friendships."

So, first off... That's not what I was saying. I was saying that, although I am always open to making new friends and making connections with other people, I don't feel the pressure to get all dressed up for a weekend and make redundant small talk with girls who are honestly just analyzing me. That's just not for me, but I completely understand that it is for some people. I have no issues with girls who choose to rush. I respect them, even, for choosing to take the exciting yet anxiety-provoking risk that is rushing a sorority.

A lot of girls who have a negative rush experience take that experience to a very personal level. Rushing can be brutal, and it can be a competitive battlefield that brings out the worst in people. It can also be an eye-opening and rewarding experience. It all depends on how you approach it. Getting dropped from your top sorority doesn't mean that you're not pretty, or that you're not cool, or not fun to talk to. If anything, it's a sign that you belong somewhere else. Over anything, the most important thing to remember is that you're going to be so much happier somewhere with people that you connect with than with people that you think you may be able to possibly form an okay relationship with.

I know that I've never experienced rush, but I do know that a negative experience can be turned into a more positive one with a simple change of mindset. We're not all perfect, and your people are out there. This is just the beginning of an incredible journey, and one small bump in the road shouldn't be enough to tear you down. Overall, know that if you got dropped from a sorority, then you probably shouldn't sweat it. You belong somewhere else, anyways, and I promise that that new place is going to be well worth the wait.