Rush

So a week ago today, I participated in a classic American collegiate experience for females, I "Rushed". I went through Greek recruitment.
Going into it, I had no clue what I was doing. I didn't know if I wanted to join a sorority, I didn't know what would happen, and the whole thing was very intimidating. But, starting last Thursday, I did it.
We were put into walking groups, about thirty girls who went from house to house together. Actually Lucky Number 7 and group 8 were together, so at each house there were around 60 of us in at one time.
At every house, we lined up in numerical order, which corresponded with our last name. We'd end up standing outside for about fifteen minutes, just talking, and our Rho Gammas (recruitment guides {girls that temporarily dissasoicate with their sororities to guide us around}) checked to make sure everyone was present and in order. We chatted, nervous about the whole experience. Then, finally, we would usually here the girls inside chanting their sororities cheer, and at last two girls would come out, usually the sorority president, and whomever was in charge of recruitment. They'd introduce themselves, and welcome us to the house. Then, the first girl would come out, and it would usually go like this:
"Hi, my name is Sara, and I'd like to welcome you to Pi Sigma Delta Episilon Omega Nu" or "Hi, my name is Amanda, and I'd like to welcome both of you to my home"
It varied slightly, but the format was almost the same every time. If she said "you" it was just you, if it was "both of you" it was you and the girl in front or behind you. Once inside you proceeded to converse for about ten minutes, usually sitting close together and shouting, because it would get so loud. The best way I heard it described was "it's basically speed dating with girls". After about ten minutes, another girl would come by the conversation, the one you were talking with would sum up the recent topic, and they would trade off. Typically there were two trade-offs, three total conversations, per house. We went to five houses a night for two nights.

This was a strugggle for me, because I felt like I wasn't getting enough information. I couldn't ind out anyting about the sorority in such a short, barely audible conversation. At the end of the second night we picked our top eight. When I was filling out the form, I realized I was more worried about being late to the Freshman Retreat at Newman than I was about which houses I was picking. Reflecting over the course of the night, I decided that that mindset reflecting how I was feeling. I just didn't care about joining a sorority that much, and I don't think I would be as into it as I would have needed to be. So, I decided to drop Rush. I just didn't want to invest all the time.

This is not to say sorority life is a bad thing. I have a whole handful of friends that have done it and love it, and I congratulate all the girls that Rushed and stuck with it. That's so cool. It just wasn't for me.
Anyway, I can now say I've been a part of the tradition, and know what it's like. I'm glad I did it, and glad I stopped. And it's all good!