1. You most likely rushed informally

And you probably have no idea how formal recruitment actually works. Your rush week was most likely two weeks of themed mixers and a couple sober events thrown in there. Paint parties, Around the World, Jammies and Jello-shots…Where do I sign up?!

2. Your sorority house is most likely a normal house that’s slightly run down

You don’t have a house mom, there’s no in-house chef and you live there with less than 10 sisters. Your basement is covered with spray painted names of sisters past and your letters are everywhere throughout the house. The house is definitely a little “loved” and has been in your sorority for decades now. Half of your college memories will happen here and it’s not even a little weird when a sister or alumni walk in unannounced just to say Hi.

3. Your whole sorority is probably smaller than an entire pledge class at a big name university

You can recall on the spot where these girls are from and at least one embarrassing thing they’ve done since you’ve met them. You don’t understand how girls in big sororities don’t know all of their sisters personally, and might never know their favorite drunk food or the guy they hooked up with last fall. You know that you can go to any of these girls for anything and you sincerely dread the day that the next pledge class graduates.

4. You absolutely love your little, and you’re obsessed with your big

Okay, this is probably common everywhere but your family ties are extremely important to you and everyone knows which tree you’re in. You can probably trace your lineage back to a founder and you’ve heard stories about your great-great-grand big. You’ve known you’ve wanted your little since you’ve first met her, and your big was that cool girl you met during rush.

5. You really get to know the girls you’re rushing

Since your sorority is like one big giant family, it’s really important to you who gets a bid. You learn everything about the girls you rush and make sure you really want them to represent your letters. These girls will be your sisters, future littles and the legacy of your chapter.

6. Half of your wardrobe consists of passed down letters

As soon as you get in, you are showered with hoodies, t-shirts and pretty much anything else you can imagine with your sorority’s letters on it. Don’t know what you’re going to wear today? No big deal, I’ll just wear this hoodie that someone in my branch made in the 90s. Feeling a pink, sparkly blinged-out tank top? There are letters for that.

7. There are no tiers, and there’s a sorority for everyone

No one is going to look at a certain sorority and say its bottom-tier. You just simply go wherever feels right for you. Every sorority has something for someone and there is no real competitiveness (besides Greek week, of course). If you lose a potential to another chapter, you aren’t mad because you know that they would probably fit in better there. The only real ranking systems are in the minds of frat guys and clueless freshmen.

8. Your dues are actually affordable and make sense

You have a good idea of where your money goes and most people can pay them by themselves. You don’t understand how your friend at Alabama pays thousands of dollars to be in her sorority and you’re not sure if you’d be a member for that type of money. Of course every sorority is different, but throwing a couple hundred down in the beginning of the semester and a few dollars here and there for a t-shirt is entirely worth it.

9. You will be involved in your sorority whether you plan on it or not

With not a ton of sisters, it’s important for you to actually go to things. There’s a good chance you’ll at least be on a minor board, and probably run for e-board at some point. By graduation, you’ve most likely been involved with putting on a philanthropy event or even the new member program. You’ve been to every themed mixer at least 3 times and have tabled more times than you can count. But that’s alright, because your philanthropy cause means so much to you and you get serious FOMO when you have to miss a weekend out.

10. You know deep down that these girls will be your friends for life

Your time in the sorority will be a big chunk of your college career. These are the girls you lived with, went out every weekend with and came home to on Bid Day. Your memories with them will always have a special place in your heart and they’ll be the ones your look back on someday and smile. These girls will be your bridesmaids, and the people you can call 10 years from now when you’re having a bad day (or good one). Your sorority is your home away from home, and even though you know college is only 4 years, sisterhood is for life.