“You pay for your friends.”

“Only the pretty girls get in that sorority.”

“All you do is party and drink.”

I am a sorority girl, and not a "sorority girl." Going through recruitment my freshman year was one of the turning points in my college experience. While stressful at times, it’s an experience I wouldn’t change or do differently. You see, recruitment for me meant finding something much greater than myself, finding my niche. Rushing a sorority allowed campus to feel like a home, rather than just another destination.

While talking to over 15 sororities was beyond exhausting, it was a process that couldn’t be done any other way in my opinion. Recruitment is not only a time for you to impress sororities, but for them to impress you! It’s a two-way street, just like any relationship. In choosing the right sorority, you truly are building a relationship with the members in the sorority and the sorority as a whole.

Now many will argue, “The process is so superficial and fake.” For some, yes! Many people change who they are in hopes of fitting into a specific sorority. My advice to you is, don’t. In essence, this process allows you to choose your friends. Meeting and talking with several members allows you to evaluate the values and morals of the girls, and from there it’s up to you to decide who and what you want to be a part of.

Recruitment is only superficial and fake if you make it. Make the experience real and meaningful.

Having a past in pageants, I have been subjected to ridicule on looks. So often I am asked, "How much of your score is based of physical appearance?” To be honest, it’s not a big enough percentage to make an effect on my score. Same goes for recruitment. Not to mention, if girls are judging you by how you look and what you wear, the real question is do you really want to be a part of something like that?

Recruitment taught me that rejection is a part of everyday life. Not everyone is going to like you. Likewise, you aren’t going to like everyone either. Therefore, make decisions based on your instincts, not your friends or your roommates.

And to the naysayers, who think recruitment and Greek life is all about getting drunk and meeting guys – not true! Greek life opens up doors that other organizations on campus couldn’t for me. It allowed me to meet a group of women that share my values and support me through them. It allowed me to be open and outgoing in large group situations and smart in uncomfortable ones.

As cliché as it sounds, this group of women are truly my sisters. They are a group that made my college experience worth it. My favorite memories include this group, my hardest memories include this group and all the in-betweens.

First semester for freshman comes with anxiety, uncertainty, and bounds of uncontrollable excitement. Being thrown into a new situation with 15,000 people isn’t always as easy as it seems. From finding your friend group to learning the ropes of campus life, recruitment made all of those fears and worries fade away as I was immersed into a group that allowed me to realize what I want.

I wanted an organization I could be proud of. One I could brag about to my friends and family. I wanted an organization that showed dedication to sisterhood and philanthropy. I wanted to be a part of something that would highlight my success and help me learn from my faults and be there to stuff our faces with ice cream when necessary.

I found my home in Greek life and it’s up to you to figure out who you’re meant to be in the wide spectrum of sororities. While Greek life isn’t for everyone, it helped me become someone better.