In the months leading up to rush at my university, I was absolutely buzzing with excitement. Would I get the sorority I wanted? Would the girls like me? What's rush going to be like? This was an event I had been looking forward to since I first learned what a "sorority" was my freshman year of high school. Soon, however, I started to get some backlash over my decision to join one. The age-old "I'm never going to be in a sorority. You just pay for your friends," and "all sorority girls do is drink" were constantly being thrown at me. It wasn't until I actually joined a sorority that I came to fully realize just how wrong these people's perceptions of us were. Society has a horrendously jaded view of sororities and what we stand for, and this stigma that the world has on American sororities has to stop.

To start off, I want to preface this by saying that sororities are not always for everyone. However, I always encourage girls coming to college to strongly consider it, as it has so many benefits. It offers girls room and a safe place to grow as individuals, as well as make genuine friendships that will be of great help when trying to navigate freshman year.

But how did sororities start? Where did they even come from? In short, during the mid-1800's, when women's rights were little to none, various brave young women across the US decided to take a chance and create a "women's fraternity." Because if the guys can have it, then why can't we? The women who founded these programs stood for something; they didn't let the risk of being kicked out of school or being socially ostracized drive them away from fighting for their rights.

Not only this but over the years every sorority has developed a set philanthropy that they wholeheartedly support and raise money for year-round. For example, since the year 2002, my personal sorority nationally has raised more than 17 million dollars for The Make-a-Wish Foundation and volunteered more than a million hours to support this charity.

Hardly just a simple social club.

And finally, to nix an age-old stereotype about sorority girls that has long-since been refuted: that all of us party. Shockingly, this isn't true. While yes, there are girls who do enjoy the party scene, that is not what most of us want to do in our free time. College kids are college kids, whether they're involved in Greek Life or not. You'll find many independents that party equally as heavy. What is portrayed in movies like "Animal House" and "Neighbors," simply isn't true, and judging an entire group of people based on this view is unfair.

So, in conclusion, to any incoming freshmen on the fence about whether or not to go through recruitment: do it. Just do it. I promise you won't regret it. Besides the ever-awesome free food, the constant flood of new t-shirts, and a massive basket full of presents you get on bid day, you'll also learn lessons, grow as an individual, and make friends in one of the greatest group of girls you can imagine. Trust me when I tell you that these friends you make will be well worth listening to that one poor, misguided person's jeer of "you just pay for your friends." You can stand up, proudly look that person in the eye, and say with confidence "Yes, I did. And to this day I still haven't regretted it."