Sorority recruitment was honestly the best experience of my life. It made me push myself and truly become more outgoing. By talking to so many girls over the two weekends of recruitment, I was able to have so many different conversations that I don’t know that I would have been able to have if it wasn’t for rush.

I feel like all throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school I was a bit shy around new people. I was always bouncing between friend groups, which of course didn’t help the fact that I wasn’t exactly the most outgoing kid in my grade.

When I decided to rush, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what to expect, every school runs recruitment differently and I had only heard from my friends at other schools. So when the first weekend came around and I got to Clayton Hall on Friday night, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. When I walked into that first room during Open House round, I felt at ease. I didn’t feel out of place or like I didn’t belong, and that set the tone for the rest of recruitment.

As each round went on, I grew more and more excited about the possibility of becoming a pledge instead of a potential new member. The days were super long, but in the end, the process was so worth it and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

For someone who’s typically quiet and maybe even a bit introverted, this was a whole new experience for me. Luckily, I felt comfortable talking to girls that I had never met before because everyone was so nice and talkative. Every conversation was so different and it didn’t feel overwhelming at all because everyone just genuinely wanted to get to know me. Hearing about why the girls joined the sorority that they did reassured me that the process really did work because each girl I met knew she was right at home with her sorority.

Once bid day came around I knew where I belonged and I knew what I wanted to be inside that envelope. When I finally managed to get it open despite my shaking hands, I could not have been any happier. Running into the room being greeted with hugs and taking tons of pictures, the night could not have been any more perfect.

As the weeks have passed since bid night, I’ve had the opportunity to meet girls who are older than me, and the experience has been so beneficial. Meeting these girls who I have so much in common with and really get along with seriously ensures me that I made the right decision during recruitment. I feel so lucky that I’ve been given this opportunity and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I had no idea that I would end up receiving a bid from the first sorority that I talked to, but what I know now is that is where I am meant to be.