This year, I was beyond blessed to be offered a bid to Baylor University's chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. I had dreamed of college and the days where I could wear greek letters and have girls to call my sisters ever since I was very young. My mom, aunt, and grandma would tell me stories about their chapters and their sisters, and how it became such a huge part of their lives. This was all so true, but there are a lot of things no one tells you about Greek life that girls deserve to know.

First of all, the "formal recruitment" process absolutely sucks.

Not only is it a week of flirting with girls and trying to look and act your best, but it is exhausting. You wake up so early to put on this facade of a pretty, perfect version of you that only happens with fake eyelashes and curling irons and clothes that you probably won't wear again. I think it sets such a high expectation of how girls want you to look, but as soon as you're in, all they give you are fanny packs and extra large shirts. It's also scary to know that as soon as you leave the room, girls are voting on whether or not to accept you. They are literally determining if you could "fit in" based off of a 45-minute session (20 of which they spent singing and screaming in our faces). But let me tell you, there is NOTHING better than opening that envelope on bid day and seeing the place that you feel at home printed across the top with your name underneath. That is why we go through formal recruitment. That is what it's all about.

The first few weeks of being in your sorority will be awkward.

Everyone expects to have hundreds of great friends and it'll be just like the movie, Legally Blonde, but let me tell you, at first it is awkward. You will see girls wearing your letters and say hi, and they will say hi back, and you will freeze. You won't know what to say because you're still just a pledge and you're nervous. It will take some time to meet girls and make friends but trust me, if it's anything like my chapter, they will welcome you with arms wide open. You will feel so awkward and weird, and think that you are the lamest person ever, and that meanwhile all of your sorority sisters are the coolest humans on the planet. After a little while of awkward hellos and wearing your letters anywhere they can be placed on your body, you will realize that you have been placed so intentionally, and you will feel so loved.

Frat boys are probably the least and most intimidating people ever.

I feel like everyone sets such low expectations for fraternity men and expects them to just be drunk idiots all of the time. While they definitely can be, they also can be some of the nicest and most genuine guys you will meet. I am really fortunate to be in Kappa and to be able to partner with so many amazing fraternities for so many events because they are all so great, and the way they are all so close is heartwarming and precious. And let's be honest, they're so stinking cute.

There IS such a thing as greek unity.

There's this unspoken rule that girls in different sororities can be friends, best friends even. There is no law that just because the letters we wear are different means that we can't associate with each other. I absolutely LOVE my friends in other chapters, other schools, and those who are not involved with Greek life at all. I am at Baylor to get an education and to love people like Jesus loved me, regardless of letters, age, or any other factor.

You may have no idea who your big is at big/little reveal.

Everyone has such a high expectation of who their big will be and how they'll hang out everyday, and then during the big/little reveal, it will be so funny because you'll already know who it is. This can happen, but it's not likely. There's a chance you could walk into the room and see who you match with, or turn around and not know who they are. AND IT WILL BE THE BEST THING EVER. I had never met my big prior to reveal and when I met her we had a mutual "hey let's pretend we love each other so much right now and then we will love each other later, ok?" and it worked. She has become such a role model and one of my best friends. I am so lucky that I have my big, grand big & great-grandbig that I do because they seriously rock. They are way cooler than I could ever be, and I am so grateful that they chose me.

It is completely out of your hands.

I think something that girls forget, or just want to pretend isn't true, is that the chapter you end up in has nothing to do with you. I didn't realize this until it's too late, but no matter how hard you rush one chapter, no matter how many girls you meet in that chapter, they can easily say that you won't fit in and they can cut you. It's harsh and it really stinks because you could want to end up in one specific chapter so badly, but at the end of the day, you will be where you need to be and even if that's not where you wanted, it's important to realize you're there because the women of that chapter love you, they wanted to see you in that room, and they care about you. If that isn't good enough then that's really sad.

Thank you Greek life, for the ups and the downs, and all of your hidden secrets. Thank you for being so harsh and so manipulative because in the end, I am SO blessed to be a Kappa Kappa Gamma and have the world's most amazing sisters. I sincerely hope and pray that everyone feels that way about whatever sorority they end up in. You should because they are all so great.