This is really LONG!! I apologize!! Blame it on reading all these GC posts and getting excited!
I know how much people want to hear rush stories (I love reading them also!), but since I cannot tell mine until after it happens, I thought I would give you a little background on me and why I want to rush! You all have been so wonderful sharing your stories and advice that it is only fair for me to share!
I
really wanted to rush my freshmen year. I went to the informational meetings about rush and filled out my application. However, at the last minute, the 5 girls I had become the closest to during the first weeks of college (one of whom I have been best friends with for YEARS!) decided it was not for them. I felt so uncomfortable going alone that I didn't sign up. I had friends who were already members, but I (knowing nothing about how rush worked) was a little insecure about going through myself. I hadn't met any other girls who were going through at the time either so I decided not to do it. The day of first rounds was the last day to turn in the form and I decided I was going to go through it anyway, but all of my friends who were already members were with their sororities getting ready, and NONE of the girls in my hall were rushing. I had no idea who my Pi Chi was or where to turn in the form so I decided it was a sign.
It turned out to be a blessing because I ended up changing my major during the semester and it was a pretty hard decision for me. Freshmen year, in general, was rough class-wise. I was so involved in high school (president of 2 org's, student gov't, clubs, theatre, choir, sports, I did EVERYTHING!) and I was so worn out when I came to college. Plus I was having a huge crisis about what I wanted to do with my life and it was a heartbreaking decision that took me the whole year to find the answer. Pledging then would have been a bad idea!
Unfortunately, I had 3 bad grades that messed with my GPA. Two of those were for classes I hated (and were part of the reasons I realized those majors were just not me anymore.)My sophomore year I was determined to bring my GPA back up and to go through informal in the spring.
I replaced a bad grade (an F) with a A and I though my GPA would rise dramatically, but it wasn't changed for some reason on my transcripts until AFTER I would have gone through informal. Had I known I had the gpa to rush I would have.
Again, I think it was a sign because I had to miss a lot of school due to a death in a family and it was really hard. It was also good because I had never gotten to meet all of the groups or experienced formal rush, so I probably would not have made the best decision possible.
Throughout this whole ordeal I have met wonderful girls from many of my school's sororities, and most of my best friends are involved in sororities. It is something I have always wanted to be a part of. It's not just the social life, because I have that already, and its not just that it will help me with connections in my life. I see the awesome bond you girls have for one another, and it is something so special. All of these setbacks have just made me realize just how important and awesome sisterhood is. I see how the groups help with their various philanthropies, and how close they are and how much they are there for each other. There is SO much more I could write, but this post is getting long enough!!
So here I am, a 3rd sem. sophmore going through rush for the first time EVER! I am looking forward to it, and my friends in the groups have been giving me so much encouragement. I just knew I had to come here and get advice from you all too because I've seen how supportive you are towards one another! I promise I will give you any updates as soon as I can and let you know how things go. Whether or not it ends up bad OR good, I will probably tell you all everything! So good luck to all of you (active, rushee, and alum) preparing for recruitment!! I hope things work out for everyone
