It wasn't long ago that I was in your shoes. The summer before heading off to college, I counted down the days until I would step into my first sorority house to determine if that was the group of women I wanted to become my best friends and bridesmaids. I am sure you are anxious and worried about what the week will hold, so here’s some advice only a sorority girl can give.

Every day of the week you will attend parties, and then at the end of the day you will choose the houses you want to go back to and the houses that you do not. The first day of rush is “ice breakers” day. On this day you will meet a few girls from each house and answer the same questions about yourself over, and over, and over again. The second day is “philanthropy day”, this is when you will learn all about the causes each sorority holds closest to their hearts. The third day is my favorite, which is “sisterhood day”. You will get to watch a video that the sorority put together which highlights their sisterhood. Finally, you will be down to your favorite two sororities to visit on the last day, “preference day”. These are the two sororities that you have shown a preference for, that have also shown a preference for you. This is a very special day, and the day that you will make your final decision for where you want to spend your next four years.

The most important advice I can give is, while you are talking to these girls, ask yourself if you could see yourself actually being friends with them. Can you see yourself hanging out with the girl standing in front of you? PNM’s and members both put on their best face for recruitment. Everything is happy and sorority and fun, but look past the smiles and the nervous laughter and determine if this is a girl that you could spend the next four years of your life with.

Another thing to remember is to go in with an open mind. It is easy to look at a picture or video online and decide that is your favorite sorority, but that does not mean you will get along with the girls. Remember that these are the girls you will be spending every day with. They are your future roommates and best friends. You find your home through meeting and talking to the members, not from the amount of likes their pictures have.

At the end of the day, it really does end up working out. Of course you will not be best friends will all 200 girls in your sorority, there are no tables that big at Gnat’s anyways. But, you will find a group of girls that become lifelong friends. Go through recruitment and find your home. Understand that the girls rushing you are more nervous than you are. Be yourself, because you will not find your home by pretending to be someone else. Don’t get discouraged if you get dropped, and bring an umbrella.