It's that time of year again. Matching outfits and perfectly coiffed hair struggle valiantly against the heat and humidity. The jangle of accent necklaces mixes with precisely rehearsed cheers. Rush week.

Now, despite the melodrama of my previous sentences, I'm not against Greek life or the rush process or anything like that. I know tons of girls who are in sororities who are wonderful people and they love the sisterhood they've found. That being said, I am firmly independent--but I wasn't always that way.

When I first came to college, I had no interest in joining a sorority. My mom had been in one when she was in college, but it didn't seem like something that I would enjoy. Samford, technically, was only a third Greek (at least in my freshman year) so I figured I wouldn't have a problem making friends outside of a sorority. Several weeks into college however, I still felt like I was floundering to meet people that I really "clicked" with. I had met nice people, sure, but no one who seemed like a friend that would last. I started getting desperate. Maybe I should just rush and try to get into a sorority? It was sort of expensive, and I wasn't sure what kind of people I would meet, and I was pretty positive I didn't own enough cute outfits to get through a week of rush, but at least I would be meeting people who could potentially be friends...

I didn't end up rushing. After talking with other, wiser people (read: my mom and my RA), I realized that it was possible to make friends outside of a sorority, and I wasn't doing something wrong. It just takes time. If I came into college set that Greek life wasn't for me, I shouldn't just join it out of desperation. I know several other people who had this experience, and so I want to encourage the freshmen girls out there who are going through this right now (and probably freaking out): It's going to be okay. You will make friends.

It takes effort. You have to be willing to text that random girl you met at Bible study and ask her to go get coffee. You have to say yes when a group of people are going to lunch after class. You have to join clubs and organizations and go to events to meet people--they're not going to magically show up at your dorm and ask to be your best friend. You have to realize that not every single person you meet will be your best friend forever, but also that anyone of them could be. About two weeks after I decided not to rush, I ended up hiking Moss Rock at midnight (long story) with some of the people who I am still good friends with, and in the following weeks and months I made more friends. Now I laugh when I remember the first few weeks of freshmen year when I worried I would never meet anybody--actually, all my friends do, because we all went through that phase.

So if you're worried that rushing is the only way to meet people and make friends, don't be. Don't join a sorority out of desperation or indecision--it can't end well. If you came into college set on being an independent, those reasons that made you decide that are more than likely still true. I'm not saying it's a terrible thing to change your mind; just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

In regards to Greek vs. non-Greek, I think it's best to turn to Amy Poehler's wise words from her book Yes, Please: Good for her, not for me. Whether you decide to rush or be independent, there's no reason to judge someone who does the opposite, and absolutely no reason you can't be friends with someone who does the opposite! Everybody has a different path, and if you want to be independent, don't feel pressured into joining a sorority. There are plenty of other people out there who are independent as well, and they're all looking for friends too. You just have to find each other.