To all the girls thinking about going Greek their sophomore year, joining Greek Life can be scary and intimidating.
Going Greek can also be the most rewarding experience of your life.
I didn't rush my freshman year of college, and I wouldn't have done it any other way. Freshman year is tough, you are in completely new place, away from home, and you don’t really have an idea what college is like. In the first year of college, you learn so much about yourself, living away from home and actually adulting is way harder than any college class you’ll take.
Throughout my freshman year, I became more comfortable and confident with who I am. Yes, I know it sounds cheesy, but it is true. I learned how to step out of my comfort zone and talk to random strangers who became my best friends.
But something was missing, I didn't feel involved. I just went to class, went home, went to work and then repeated it all over again. I wanted to do something different, volunteer, meet new people, and be more involved on campus.
My sophomore year, I decided to take that big leap and try to join a sorority.
Recruitment was like a blast from the past, I was surrounded by freshmen, but this time I actually knew what was happening. I was settled into my apartment, had my class schedule all sorted out and had my friends. However, the freshmen were all anxious, excited, and nervous and part of me wished I could go back to the excitement of freshman year.
What no one tells you about rushing as a sophomore is that you have an advantage.
Some of the million ladies you will be talking to during rush are ladies that you may already know, have had classes with or have just seen walking around on campus. You have something in common with the girls recruiting because of all the events that happened last year. Not to mention, I felt way more comfortable opening up to people during recruitment because I was confident in myself and knew who I was.
Don’t worry about being the only sophomore rushing. I 1000% thought that I must be the only person rushing sophomore year, but the more I got to talking with other girls, I found out that actually a lot of sophomores rush. Plus I even found a couple girls, who were recruiters, that rushed as sophomores. Yes, you may feel like the only one rushing a year late, but it's more common than you think.
Once you find your perfect sorority, it may feel a bit weird. Rushing as a sophomore puts you in this unique position...Do you hang out with the older members who are your age? Or you just stick with your pledge class, that is a year younger?
At first, it was weird for me because I didn’t feel like I belonged to one group or the other, but as the weeks went on I became close with all of my sisters and the age difference didn't seem that big of a deal.
It's ok to take a year to figure everything out before you join a sorority.
In fact, I recommend it.
I wouldn’t change a single thing about my freshman year. I met so many incredible people. I had to suffer through living in the dorms and surviving dining hall food. But all in all, my freshman year of college helped me grow into a person that I want to be. I truly believe knowing who you are before you go through recruitment is so important because that way you will truly find the sorority you belong with.
So why not rush as a sophomore? At least give it a try, what do you have to lose?
