I have recently seen the resurfacing of the article "Why I Didn't Rush" and I was hooked by the title quickly. See, my freshmen year, I decided not to rush as well. My main reason was that I was starting new at this university, college life was overwhelming and I wanted to find my identity before making a huge commitment somewhere. I was excited to find an article that I would possibly relate to.

Before opening the article, I was shocked to see how negatively people were responding to it and my curiosity deepened. Had this really sparked that much controversy? After reading a few paragraphs, I could easily see why. The article was very negative and harshly written. Unfortunately, it seemed to further incorrect stereotypes that sororities are trying to distance themselves from.

So, I would like to share my reasoning on why I didn’t rush my freshmen year in hopes that someone going off to university can keep these reasons in mind and that maybe somebody who had a similar experience can relate. I've learned a lot more about sororities and how to fix some of the worries that people may have.

1. I didn't know where I belonged

I didn't really know what would be waiting for me when I got to college. When I thought about college, it was just to get through it as fast as I possibly could so that I could graduate and be in the "real world". College was only a bridge that would lead connected youth to adulthood. Once everything was thrown at me, I realized I wouldn’t be fully enjoying myself if I didn't get involved but by that time a lot of organizations had already started rolling. I didn't know much about college sororities and it was a little too late for me to start researching. Instead of dismissing it into a pit of stereotypes and invalid judgments, I let it be and moved on to find an organization I could join.

2. The Money

You know what's a huge shocker? That college is expensive! The majority is struggling, everyone's finances can get tight. I choose not to invest my money into something that I had not researched enough yet. Adjusting to college life involves adjusting to how to handle your yearly budget. Everyone is in a different situation. While I could have joined a sorority, and invested the money, I decided to wait till I was more secure in my decision and there is nothing wrong with that. For those who are interested, I would suggest contacting the sorority that you are interested in and getting an estimate. Then, ask about a payment plan that will help you save and pay in increments. Another thing that you could do, ask some of the other girls how much they invested each year.

3. College was a new beginning.

College was supposed to be this new challenge of finding myself. I had just come from being the big kahuna senior to a tiny tuna freshmen again. My high school experience, while it was a rocky one, had been successful and I had found a place where I was comfortable. With a chance to start over, I unsure of what path I wanted to take. I didn't take a huge risk by jumping into something I didn't know much about and I don't regret that decision.

4. The social gatherings got me a little anxious

The thought of formals and mixers got me kind of nervous at first. What would I wear? Who would I bring as my date? Would I have enough friends to feel comfortable by then? Even though formals and parties like this would be a bit further on, I was already over thinking them. I can say, it was cool seeing my friends dressing up for their formals and it was something to get excited about. Know your comfort level but also, don't be afraid to put yourself out there. College is such a unique experience that shouldn’t go to waste.

5. The process of rushing could be a bit scary.

Some girls have been set on a certain sorority, and some girls just thought to try it and see what happens. There is so much hustle and bustle going around, you might just miss it. Yes, it's a big event, but there are so many other awesome things going on at the same time. The commentary about this point from the original article just seemed like a lot of excuses about whatever possibly could go wrong. In reality, you're going to be put on the spot a lot in the future and must be presentable. Rushing can help strengthen basic communication skills. You can learn these skill sets from many different clubs and activities, not just sororities.

6. The stigma

OK, I must be honest, while I knew that some people just stick to that horribly outdated stigma, I think that it's ridiculous to keep that type of prejudice in your judgment on sororities. Maybe the original author didn’t mean to automatically slut-shame an entire group of hardworking individuals by assuming everyone shares her same close minded thought process. If you are held back because of such a stigma, please talk with a couple of sororities girls. Ask about their first year of experience and if one sorority has a moral code that you don't really agree with, simply move on to a different sorority or organization that you do feel comfortable with.

7. The time commitment

Like I mentioned earlier, when I got to college I just wanted to get it over with. I took a ton of general education courses and I had a decent amount of credit coming in from previous AP courses. I knew I was over working myself and I knew it would take some extra time for me to get used to college life before I could tackle anything like Greek Life. Don't waste your college year becoming a venomous person who cuts others down to make their own path seem mightier. Most sororities have a philanthropy that they raise money for each year. Doing some good for others can dispel some negativity in your own life, no matter how deeply set it is.

I really hope this article was a little more relatable than the original. Ultimately, it's your choice if you rush or not. Hopefully, you can see it's alright if you don't rush your freshmen year but if you had any worries, I was able to provide you with some tips to finding answers to some questions you may have about Greek Life. Sororities are not filled with girls who all own wedges, have waist-long blonde hair, are rail-thin, sleep around and show up to Zumba class hungover from last night's formal. They are really nice girls who are also just trying to get through college and enjoy themselves.