RUSH WEEK

In the eyes of the average person, sororities equal the words,”like, let’s go shopping” and “duh.”I know that for a fact because I used to be one of those averagepeople. I could never understand what such a massive investmentcould bring. Except, of course, the aspect of “buying yourfriends.” Last year I decided to investigate what all thehype was about and went through “rush.”

Each day I found myself smirking at all the girls that keptsaying how nervous they were, as if sorority equaled life. I wentthrough each day: open house, philanthropy (which should be dubbed”arts and crafts day”), skit and preference night withthe attitude of enjoying a new experience.

I had no inkling of what the outcome of the week or the year,for that matter, was to become. But when that Saturday slowly creptaround, and I stood on my house’s lawn, I knew that thissorority life thing was for me. I had found a house that suited mypersonality. They never asked anything of me except to help fosterthe person that I may potentially become as well as aid my fellowsisters in that very same pursuit.

Now that I am on the other side of recruitment, my nerves arecalm. This past week has been one that I will cherish forever. Iknow that sounds hackneyed, but I really do mean it.

Everyday I spent 12hours or so with each of my sisters andbonded with a group of women in a way that I never expected.Although there was a lot of work and practice to be done, there wasenough playfulness to counteract it all. I have forgotten all thestrenuous hours of the week. My belly was rolling in laughs allweek long, and there were tears at the close of every night aswell.

Rush just seems like a jumble of memories to me now. I willalways remember how my closest girlfriends and I did our housedance in front of all the seniors, my friend got pushed into thebushes during a practice for pref night and hopped up and yelled,”I’m the victim!”, how ecstatic we all were whenwe received our return lists every morning and who could forget theactual bid day.

It was a day to rejoice that there were no more menial taskslike blowing up balloons and moving furniture around, but more thananything, it was a day to welcome new girls to our ever-growingfamily. It was a day to stand united for all women coming togetherto enhance our place in society.

I truly got to see how blessed I am to have such a fantastic andcaring family away from home.

I come from a family of four brothers – I am the onlygirl. I consider myself lucky because I have over a hundred amazingsisters that would jump off a bridge for me.

So for all those people that ask you why you are in a sorority,tell them it has to do with parties and sisterhood, but then tellthem the truth and say how you are able to grow as a woman and anindividual in a loving and warm home. Encourage them to eliminateall preconceived notions of sororities until they themselves canunderstand the experience.

I would not trade my house for anything, not even a date withBen Affleck.