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Life after Rush
I'm so sad reading the posts from the Moms whose girls have had their self-esteems crushed by this process. It all sounds so familiar to me, nearly 10 years later, I still remember sitting in a hallway at the Tate Student Center crying to my Mom because I thought I wasn't pretty enough. "Of course you're pretty!" she said. And my response was, "but not pretty like these other girls." I was down to 3 parties at the last round and I wasn't interested in pledging the sororities I had left. (In retrospect, two of the houses probably would have been absolutely great for me, but due to preconceived notions and listening to the way some girls made fun of those sororities, no way was I going to join. I was just as shallow as those girls at the other houses who had cut me.)
However, there was life, and life-abundant for me after Fall rush. Even if I had never pledged a sorority I would have had a fun college experience. But I did go through rush again in the spring, and pledged Gamma Phi Beta. I had a great experience with it and loved how many different types of girls there were in my sorority. I felt very comfortable there and met some wonderful people. I continue to meet wonderful people now through the organization, and keep in touch with friends from my chapter. I married my college sweetheart (who I met at a sorority/fraternity social) and we've been married for four years.
Even though it seems like this is the end of the world for some of your daughters (and believe me, I understand why they feel that way) please tell them that the girls with full party schedules are not necessarily the ones with full lives. It's impossible not to compare yourself to the ones who got bids, but sorority rush is looking for such a narrow definition and in the crazy process, it is impossible to see the true beauty and full picture of someone.
So what I'm saying is, while sorority life is not meaningless, the rush process is completely meaningless!!! Your daughters are beautiful and I wish I could be there in person to comfort each and every one of them.
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