As an introvert, talking to new people can be a little scary. The thought of being judged based on how you talk to new people is terrifying. I went into rush thinking it would be an introvert's hell. To quote Jean-Paul Sartre, "Hell is other people." He obviously wasn't talking about sorority recruitment, but I thought it was pretty close! Although I'm exaggerating quite a bit, I did expect rush to be very draining. It has been extremely tiring, but so incredibly worth it.

The process of rush parties for potential new members actually takes a lot of stress of off us. You'll never walk into a party with no one to talk to. The girls are trying to convince you to join their sorority, so they find you and carry the conversation. It's exhausting, but it's not unbearable by any means. The dreaded part is the new schedule after each round. That is when the days get difficult for so many girls.

It's all about mindset. Sororities will drop you, but it's not the end of the world. You may have thought you really hit it off with girls in a sorority, just to find out they didn't invite you back. It would be easy to begin pointing out your every flaw and question what's wrong with you or why they didn't choose you. That path only ends in sorrow and self-pity. Deciding that you are unique and you have so much to offer to the right sorority shines light on your qualities. You are an amazing individual and the right sorority will recognize that. It isn't that there is anything wrong with you, it's that your qualities need the right medium to be expressed and truly appreciated.

With the wrong mindset, rush can be a week of hell. You can let it tear you down, degrade you, and convince you that you are less than you really are. Or you can use it to your advantage. You are special, beautiful, and fearfully and wonderfully made. The right group of girls will recognize that and embrace you for who you are.