Many young women’s college experiences are defined by joining sororities. The lifelong sisters, the beautiful houses and the plethora of parties can all contribute to an amazing few years!
But in the beginning, rushing can be a nerve-wracking experience… but not rushing can be just as, if not more, terrifying than rushing. Whether you choose not to be a part of sorority recruitment or dropped out, watching hundreds of beautiful young (and matching) women meet and greet each other with smiles, hugs and chants can leave you feeling left out.
Trust me, I know. My freshman year, it seemed like everybody was joining a sorority besides me. I felt like I was step behind, that I didn’t have friends and that I would never make any. The decision not to join a sorority left me feeling anxious and alone.
Sure, sorority recruitment seems like a great experience. It took a while to realize, but there are a lot of ways to deal with feeling left out and make friends other than joining a sorority. Here are a few ways you can handle rush when you’re not rushing:
Go to student organization fairs and club meetings
And go to a lot of them, even if it doesn’t seem interesting at first! This is the time to explore everything and figure stuff out. You’ll realize there are tons of people like you who aren’t rushing or don’t vibe with Greek life. And no, going to student org fairs is not dorky! There are always new opportunities to learn about and people to meet.
Explore your campus
Since sorority recruitment is in the beginning of the year, your university, as well as local businesses, will probably have summer games, back-to-school specials and lots of other activities going on. Try the food, go into all the buildings, people watch, absorb what you see. Experience the ins and outs of your university. You may meet some people along the way!
Get a job
Rushing is a time-consuming activity. While others spend their time on recruitment, you can get a jump on the year by finding a job! Working with other college students is a great way to immerse yourself in the college culture and expand your social circle in a way that rushing doesn’t immediately offer. It also takes your mind off rush while you earn some cash!
Always have things to talk about other than Greek life
If you do find yourself surrounded by girls that can only talk about sorority-related things, try changing the topic to something broad: weather, fashion, sports, politics, the cute guy down the hall, dorm food… Everyone can bond in one way or another over dorm food. Starting off with broad conversation allows you to talk to and potentially make friends with girls who are participating in recruitment so you won’t feel completely isolated form them. They’re just people trying to figure out this college thing, too!
Overall, fake it ‘til you make it
Universities are large and different and full of opportunities. Be confident in your abilities; don’t let being left out of Greek life discourage you from doing new things, finding friends and discovering who you are! Make your own adventures, and you’ll be well on your way.