One of the most terrifying decisions that we make in our lives is to put ourselves out into the world for other people to judge and critique us. We will all have to face this at one point or another (which is good!) because yes, the brave people who are able to make this jump learn that doing this is not just one of the scariest decisions, but also one of the best.

Job interviews, moving away to college, performing in a play or a show, public speaking, or even putting on your highest heels and going out for a night on the town are all perfect examples of "putting yourself out there." Yes, many of these I have experienced and learned first-hand how worth it is to get out of that comfort zone that we're all so afraid to leave.

But in the 19 years that I've been on this planet, the scariest "putting myself out there" moment that I've gotten myself into so far was, of course, the dreaded process of sorority recruitment.

It's the pure definition of putting yourself out there: picking out your outfits, doing yourself up all pretty, and literally talking to hundreds of girls about who you are, what your most redeemable qualities are, and why you're a lovable, good person for this organization, blah blah blah. Scary. Stuff.

However, some people get lucky.

Sometimes, out of the dozens and dozens of women you talk to, you meet a "diamond in the rough." Your sister from another mister. Your "rush crush" as many would say.

Sometimes, there is a beautiful person in one of those houses that makes you feel incredibly special, loved, and confident enough to break out of that comfort zone. Someone that makes you feel secure in your decision to put yourself out into the world.

Rejection is one of the hardest things in the world, and so is questioning who you are. Coincidentally enough, these are both things that very well could be experienced during recruitment, many times. But if you find a big like mine, all the rejection and self-conflict that you will face will all go away when you realize how badly someone out there wants to be your sister.

I met my big during the second round of recruitment. One of the first things I told her when I met her was that our sorority's recruitment video was the only one that I had watched so far that hadn't made me want to throw up my lunch from the cheesiness. (I don't have a great filter. Oops.) Instead of the shocked look I expected from a comment like that, I got a huge, hearty laugh out of her.

A couple months after that conversation, she informed me that my comment about the video was the first moment that she knew that she wanted to give me a bid. I've never been "recruited" for anything before. (Okay, besides small D-3 colleges looking for athletes.) I never thought that anyone would want me that bad, for anything. It's really nice to feel special like that every now and then.

Throughout the other rounds, I felt excited to actually see and talk to a familiar face at a house. To see a smiling face that actually recognized me and remembered my name.

We had genuine conversations, not once forced or shallow. We really laughed, not that fake uncomfortable-fill-the-silence laugh. We very quickly broke the "no boys or booze talk during recruitment," rule which we talked amply about both right away. (Oops again.)

We talked about why I really wanted to join a sorority, and for the first time I didn't feel the need to rattle off my rehearsed speech and execute the perfect response that I felt that everyone was looking to hear. We talked about what this whole "sisterhood" thing actually means and how great it is to have people who care about you and support you no matter what. I was basically already seeing her as my sister.

...Also, little did I know that by the last round, she had stalked my Facebook and Twitter inside and out, basically knew everything about me from when I was born until now, and meanwhile I had no idea that she knew who I was and that I was wanted so much by someone. (Big, you played it off really well like you were't a complete stalker. Props.)

During pref round, I sat next to her and read to myself the handwritten, heartfelt letter that she had written for me, the little embellished piece of paper outlining all of my best qualities that she had seen in me and why I was so perfect for our chapter. After reading that, I had never felt more secure in my decision to "get myself out there." All of the fear of being judged, rejected, or disliked by any of these girls went away, because someone out there thought that I belonged somewhere, and that I was truly wanted and accepted.

I'll never forget the way she gave me someone to talk to on Bid Day, when it's so easy to just stand around awkwardly because you only know about 5 percent of the girls in the chapter and have no idea what to do after five minutes. She even drove me back to my dorm after.

I'll never forget that I was given someone to go out with the first night that all of the "babies" got to go out with the active members. While getting ready and curling my hair (along with everyone else's) in the sorority house before we all left to go out together, I really felt like I belonged in this new community I had found.

And finally, I will never forget the way we pretended for months like we didn't 100 percent that we were going to be big/little from the moment we found each other on Bid Day, and totally pretending to act surprised at the reveal. (I practiced my face in the mirror.)

The point I'm trying to make from all of this "srat life," "Biggie Smalls tank top wearing" rambling is that when you have a big as amazing as mine, you'll want to shout it from the rooftops and thank her eternally for guiding you to your home.

You'll want to thank her for helping you not regret the decision to make a big jump and get yourself out of that comfort zone. You'll also want to thank her for, without fail, always caring about every detail of your life way more than she has to and always being the person who you know is going to listen.

The big/little relationship may sound stupid from the outside, but from the inside the bond that they share cannot be matched and is unlike any other.

So ladies, make sure you keep an eye out for your future biggie in the midst of all the rushing chaos.

(And send this to your big to tell her how much you appreciate her!)