Odyssey, a website in which hired content Creators can write about whatever they want, reaching Millennials all around the US at the touch of the share button. Good, bad, or indifferent this is what this website does and I'm proud to be apart of it. It gives me the chance to do this, to write a rebuttal to "Why I Didn't Rush."
So here is why I did rush.
Actually, I rushed twice. When I came out of high school I had never been happier to move on. I wanted to leave the stigma of high school and all the people surrounding it in my small little town and go somewhere I would be happy—and thats exactly what I did. I rushed my freshmen year and it was amazing.
I want to start by saying it's called "rush" by most schools nationally so first off, if you're going to bash a process you should know the name of it. Everyone makes their own decision and I'm not here to bash yours, I'm just here to shed light on why you shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly.
You say you "knew you didn't belong" but that's an absurd statement. Greek like is enormous. With there being 26 Panhellenic sororities you can join and countless associate chapters and service sororities besides that, not fitting in really isn't an option. I don't have "waist=long blonde hair" and I'm sure as hell not "skinny as a rail" but I found a home, twice. And I don't for two seconds pretend to like the girls I am sisters with. This misconception bothers me so much. Why would I pretend to like a group of girls and spend countless hours with them? Why would I pretend to like my little and spend countless dollars on her? Why would I pretend to do any of these things I don't have to do, its VOLUNTARY. I want to hang out with these girls because I went through the process of rushing and found a group of girls I enjoy, I don't pretend.
You say college is a clean slate and I agree— a clean slate to find a group of people who enjoy doing exactly what you want to do and have your back at any moment of the day and or night. A clean slate means a fresh start and what better fresh start than a group of girls being in your same position starting that "clean slate?
" You say you don't want to pretend to be "rich and happy all the time" Well I have some harsh reality for you. I'm not rich and/or happy all the time. There has been more times than I can count my sisters have had to pay for my lunches or throw me bills so I could buy groceries. There has been plenty of times my bank account has been in the negative and my sisters Uber me home so I can be safe and never for two seconds ask to be payed back. I am NOT happy all the time and thats what sisters are for. I don't pretend to be happy either. These girls are there so when you aren't happy, when you are at your lowest of lowest and laying on your bathroom floor crying because you just had the roughest breakup of your life, your mom called you and told you your parents were getting a divorce, or you failed your only poli-sci exam, the class your parents are paying for and can't afford because they are NOT rich, they are there to hold you. To make you smile. To get you to your happy place. Not to expect you to be happy all the time. In the words of Meredith Grey, "Not everyone is happy all the time. That's not mental health, that's a load of crap."
You say "social gatherings are a nah" because you have to "keep your perfect GPA with 18 credits." Well... I have 152 sisters. Approximately 100 of them are older than me. Approximately 50 of them have taken the same classes as me and are willing to help. So when last semester I was taking 19 credits and needed to sit in the library on a Thursday night to study for my STAT exam, all 50 of them offered to stay in and help me, because that's what sisters do. It's absurd to try to take on the world alone.
You say "the process of rushing sounds like it freaking sucks." Well aside from me commenting on your use of adjectives, it doesn't "freaking suck" Although at my school houses aren't a thing, sororities suites are and they are very welcoming. Welcome to the big girl world where first impressions matter and you can learn a lot about someone in a five minute conversation with someone. I would have a lot more respect for you if you tried the rushing process, THEN hated it, not just assumed it "freaking sucked" without ever giving it a shot.
You say the stigma. I am not even going to waste my breath on this one because the Greek life stigma has been proven wrong again and again. EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON chooses their stigma, not a chapter or sorority. You say you don't want to be associated as someone who "sleeps around." Well, not every sorority girl sleeps around and if she chooses to do so, that is her choice. Sex is a human choice. A choice a girl in or out of a sorority can choose to partake in and being in an organization that is associated with letters (yes most of the time three letters, because I know you said you were confused) does not hinder and or help that.
All in all, I respect everyone's decision to rush and or not to rush—I just ask you don't cast such hard judgement on something you know so little about and even admit to knowing so little about. You need to give something the chance before you so harshly throw it down, and demean it to a group of impressionable young girls. Sorority girls value themselves and others. They know the value of a dollar and they don't sleep with anything with a pulse. These stigmas are enhanced by uninformed individuals who preach like they are informed, and if rushing isn't for you, thats fine, but don't paint such a negative light on something you've never tried. Greek life is finding a home and sisters, a big and a little, a support system, a confidence boost and lifelong memories.
I don't go around throwing stones at you for choosing not to rush.