To The Girl Who Isn't Quite Sure She Wants To Rush

The beginning of spring semester my freshman year I was all signed up and ready to go. I had been signed up for a month now and had been anxiously waiting the arrival of a two weekend long event to find my "sisters".

People back home were surprised I even signed up.

"You aren't that girl."

"Maybe you can find a book reading sorority."

I was the quiet, kind of nerdy, ver introverted girl and had never wanted to touch anything related to Greek life with a ten foot pole.

Now, with the long event only a week away, I panicked. I quickly typed out an email saying I no longer wanted to participated and pushed it out of my head.

Syracuse University had a stronger Greek community that I originally thought coming into college. I didn't think it would be a problem and I always thought sororities were just "buying your friends."

I pushed the thought of rushing out of my head and continued to go about my every day. As the two weekends approached, all the talk in my classes were about sororities and rushing and all the good and the bad of those two jam packed weekends. I started to feel this sudden sense of regret. It was unexpected.

I didn't really have many friends at this point, and the ones I did were all rushing and had now devoted their lives to the initiation processes of their sororities.

I was on the outside looking in now, and I was kicking myself for not even trying.

Sure, I was a bit lonely, but I was used to being independent. I was so upset with myself because I let my fear of going out of my comfort zone take hold of me and yank me back into my bubble. So what if I went through recruitment and half way through realized it wasn't for me at all? At least I would have tried.

My biggest regret is not going through with it and pushing myself. After all, college is all about discovering yourself and pushing your limits and boundaries.

A week after formal recruitment I was put in touch with one of my friends sororities for a thing called continuous open recruitment. A few sororities do it, and because I was so upset with myself about not doing formal recruitment, I leaped at the opportunity.

I thought it would be like formal recruitment where I would be talking to a million girls, become overwhelmed, and probably leave exhausted. I went for it anyways. To my surprise, I met with one girl for coffee and we had the best conversation. We talked and talked and talked and I felt so unbelievably comfortable.

I ended up making the best decision I could have done for myself and joined that sorority. I was welcomed with open arms and found some of my closest friends I have ever had.

Now, ending my first semester of sophomore year, I am happier than ever.

That girl I talked to before I joined? She is my big.

My best friends are girls I met within my first time coming to a new member meeting, and I have so many amazing girls that I have surrounded myself with that have supported me, encouraged me, and been truly like sisters I have never had.

So, to those who either regret not rushing last year, this semester, or don't know if they want to rush next semester for fear it isn't for them, just TRY. Go out of your comfort zone and see what happens.

College is all about the experiences and wild stories you have and discovering who you are. That means, however, that you are going to have to push yourself a little. To those who are kicking themselves for not going through, try again next time around, and for those who are on the fence, just try. If you realize it's not for you then great! If you realize you were wrong and this is exactly for you, amazing!

Push yourself, open yourself, and get out of your bubble. Amazing things will happen. I promise.