I never thought that I would be rushing a sorority… and yet I am.
If there is anything I have learned since being here at Stevens, it’s that not everything is as you would expect. Going to a STEM school, I was warned that it might be dull, boring, and mundane. Yet I’ve found the opposite to be true. At Stevens, I’ve found that everyone is so beautifully different, and I am always so excited to hear about any niche interests people here have. When people are passionate about something, they discuss it in a way that simply amazes you. Suddenly, you’re exposed to a whole new way of thinking that you never realized before. This is what happened to me.
Just like many others, I believed the mainstream ideas about sororities. I assumed the worst of them, but after hearing my sister’s story, it all changed for me. By her senior year of high school, she was ready for a change. I recall my mom being worried about how she would adjust to college and praying that she would be happy there. She had a really hard time adjusting. She felt really out of place and lonely when she recalled an Instagram message she had received during the summer. It was an invite to begin attending events for sororities. She decided to give it a shot despite not being what you would typically think of as a “sorority girl.” Now, three years later, she is the president of her sorority, and she could not be happier. Seeing the home and purpose that it gave her was really inspiring. Her overall demeanor changed. Every time you would look at her, she would be beaming. This led to my family urging me to do the very same.
At first I was skeptical — I never fit the mold of the stereotypical sorority girl. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be liked, or that I would feel pressured, but I haven’t. I rushed during the formal recruitment process, and while the three days of talking to people for hours was exhausting, it was also really rewarding. The first official day was Round Robin, where I spoke to several people from each of the five sororities. Afterwards I quite literally collapsed into my bed from exhaustion, but each day got easier. With each day, the only difference was just getting into deeper conversations with the people that you liked from earlier on in the process. I was most antsy during the preference round, where you meet with the last two organizations on a deeper level. It was more nervous anticipation than anything else. I just wanted to know what was to come the next day, which was Bid Day, or the day that you meet with the sorority you are best matched with. In the end, I felt at home with the sorority I joined.
Through this process, I’ve met and connected with a ton of people from across campus. So much so that it gave me faces to recognize on my first day of classes, people that I can call to study, work out a problem, or even just to hang out and talk. It’s already given me opportunities to meet people outside of my major and interests. It definitely was not what I anticipated, and I am so grateful for it. I cannot wait to become an official member and volunteer with friends for a cause that we all believe in. The community is really positive and from what I’ve heard and seen it really brings people out of their shells. It helps develop people skills and introduces you to new kinds of empathy as you offer your time and care for others.
If there is one thing to leave this article with, it’s that not everything is what it may seem. In my experience, it’s well worth giving everything a chance because then you will find where you were truly meant to be.
