Going through recruitment my freshman year, I definitely did not go in with an open mind. I had my heart set on one particular sorority due to the fact that both my sisters joined that organization. So, I was a double legacy. I basically grew up in that sorority house and had no other choice but to wear those letters. My rush story that I am about to tell you is a lesson to everyone. This is what you should not do. During this article I am going to call the sorority Alpha to keep it anonymous.

It all started when I was little, and my oldest sister picked the “best sorority on the row.” She loved wearing those letters, and her favorite colors would always be the ones she wore 90 percent of the time. She loved Alpha so much that she wanted nothing more but to share her amazing memories and sisterhood with her very own blood. My middle sister was going through rush when my oldest was a senior, so basically she was already in.

My middle sister's Bid Day year, I was old enough to actually remember it. I can picture it like it was yesterday. My sister running down the row to her house with the biggest smile on her face along with a little tears. I was so happy for her that I wanted to feel that exact same way. Unfortunately, I was a little too young for my middle sister to be in the sorority the same time I went through rush, but we did not worry too much because my resume would say "double legacy." I mean, how could they cut a double leg?

So, it was the summer going into my freshman year, and I could have not been more anxious and nervous. I had my heart set on going Alpha, and I was just hoping they felt the same way about me joining. On the first day of ice water, they were my first house, and my dress even had their colors, so I thought I was a shoe in.

I visited the house and every girl I met was, of course, gorgeous, but I was so nervous I couldn’t even remember what I said during the conversations.

After the round was done, I left the house just hoping they loved me. My only worries were that I would disappoint my sisters because the girls in the sorority did not love me as much as I needed them to.

So, the rest of the day, I visited the first eight sororities and did not really put much effort into them, because my heart was set on Alpha.

At the end of the long day, I went home to my family who wanted to hear every single thing that happened. But, of course, the most curious audience were my sisters. I told them that I liked the Alpha house, but I don’t know if they liked me as much as they needed to.

They told me not to worry and just enjoy myself during the experience. But, how could I when I had so much pressure to be in that one sorority? So, the next day I finished the ice water round and turned in my picks for the next round.

The next day, I got my sheet back with eight sororities including the one I wanted the most! I was thrilled!

I went through the second round of recruitment doing mostly the same thing, just caring about the one sorority that “mattered the most.” Except this round, I noticed a couple of the sororities caught my eye, and I liked them. So, I cast my picks a little differently this time. But, of course I put the most important one first, just to be careful.

The next day was the third round, and I could have not been more nervous. My sisters told me that after this round, the sorority did the most cuts. My gamma chi gave me my envelope and waited a few seconds until I opened it.

Alpha was not on my list. I stared at the list. I could not move. I thought it was a joke. I did not believe it. Of course, I started thinking what did I do wrong? Did I say something to make them not like me? So many questions and concerns went around in my head, I was so confused and overwhelmed with disappointment. A tear fell down my cheek as I dialed my cell phone to call my oldest sister.

She answered, and I sobbed while I told her the awful news. She started to cry, and we both were overcome with sadness. We were so confused and distraught.

I then called my middle sister and my parents, and everyone cried. It was a very serious moment, and I did not know what to do. I hung up with my mom and sat down and sobbed. I thought, should I drop out of rush? I mean, what’s the point now? There wasn’t any sororities on the list that I could actually see myself being in.

Or was there?

I looked at the list and thought to myself, could I be in that one? No, I did not even get the chance to talk to the girls. I kept looking at each sorority and realized that I never really gave any of them a chance because my heart was set on being in that one sorority. I sobbed and talked to gamma chi, and she told me to take some time and think about what I should do because I had the whole day to think about since my parties did not start until the nighttime.

I went home and told myself to give the other sororities a chance because you never know. I went to the skit round and loved one particular sorority. The girls fit my personality, and each girl I met every day was different, which I loved. This made me realize that the sorority my sisters were in had no variety and did not really fit my personality. I was still heartbroken, but maybe it was a sign telling me it was not meant to be.

On Bid Day, I ran down the row to my very own house, Zeta Tau Alpha. It felt so good to be welcomed and feel like every single girl at the house wanted you to be there and wanted to feel at home. I cried while arriving to the house seeing my family wearing turquoise and gray supporting me and cheering for me. I now felt at home.

It does not matter if you are a quadruple legacy from one sorority, keeping an open mind is one of the smartest things to do during recruitment. Keeping your heart set on one particular one does not allow you to be your own person during the process and actually try to find where your heart is. Recruitment would have been a whole different experience for me if someone would have told me to give every house a chance because you never know what will happen. So, what I am telling you is when you go through recruitment, don’t think you will just end up at this one house you have been dreaming of your whole life. Sororities change and people change all the time. So, it might not be the same one it was 10 years ago.

Take a breath, relax and enjoy yourself. You will be nervous and anxious throughout it all, and it might not even turn out the way you expected. (Mine sure did not) But, throughout it all it is a very humbling experience and really brings out who you are as a person. So, do not change yourself for one specific house. Let your personality shine through a sorority, because then you know they want you for you, and not anything else.