Growing up and going into college, sororities - or anything to do with Greek Life, really - were the last things on my mind. I was focused on what classes interested me, getting organized, and decorating my dorm room. During orientation, most of the questions asked by the incoming freshmen were about Greek Life: When is rush? How long is it? Why can't we rush in the fall? How much does it cost? Those were just a few of the repetitive questions asked to the upperclassmen, and I was honestly sick of it. I couldn't have possibly cared less about Greek Life, so I just tuned out those questions and their answers.

All I'd ever heard about frats and srats were stories from cousins and aunts about their time in sororities and what I saw in movies. Yes, I (ashamedly) believed in the stereotype. I expected them to be nothing more than careless girls with too much money with dorms full of alcohol and low GPAs. Not to mention that I thought I'd never fit in due to my mental illnesses and sexuality. Yet as school started, I was pleasantly surprised.

The first day, a girl wearing letters approached me in the cafeteria. Naturally, I had to resist an eye roll and a grimace and I forced a smile. I had no friends starting college since I knew no one because I graduated early, so I had nowhere to sit. She kindly invited me to sit with her, and I obliged. Within minutes, we were surrounded by numerous other girls, most of which were wearing the same letters. I was uncomfortable and awkward, as I had it in my head that I didn't belong here. They were all beautiful, funny, outgoing, social girls and I was a 16-year old who couldn't even say hello without panicking. Yet every one of them were nice to me, and not in the joking way. They were genuine, and continued to let me hang around with them the rest of that day and the days that followed. Multiple girls from all of the sororities were in the vast majority of my classes, and I never once met a "stereotypical" sorority girl. They were all extremely friendly and genuine people, so as the semester carried on, I began to consider going through rush.

Come winter break, I came home and told my family. At first, they thought I was joking, and they were more than just a bit confused when they found out I was serious, but they were nothing less than supportive. I then told one of my grandmothers, who had been in a sorority and told me some of her stories in the past. She was proud of me for breaking out of my shell, and asked me which sorority I was thinking of joining. When I told her the one I was leaning towards the most, she flipped out and grabbed my hands. As it turns out, that was the sorority that she, one of her biological sisters, and mother had been apart of. She told me I was a "triple legacy," which I didn't realize was so important at the time.

Soon enough, the spring semester came and rush began. But the day it was supposed to start, I received a grim call from my mother. My grandfather had passed away from Lewey Body Dementia, and I found myself in a state of deep depression. I was on the brink of dropping rush completely until my grandmother called. She told me about how her husband would have hated for me to put my life on hold because of him and how he would want me to stay with rush. After an hour long phone conversation, I finally agreed, and so rush began.

While all of the sororities are welcoming, only one felt like home to me. On the second day, I discovered I had been dropped by all of the sororities except the one I wanted, and I felt happy. Most girls would have been sad to be dropped so quickly, but I didn't mind in the least. I wasn't exactly sorority material to begin with as I was so young and so shy, and it warmed my heart to know people saw through that and actually wanted me. Come bid day, I was pacing the floor all morning, fretting and letting my anxiety get to me that I wouldn't get a bid. My roommate simply laid in bed and laughed at me, telling me how ridiculous I was and that I needed to calm down. When there was a knock on our door, my heart dropped. I opened it to find my Gamma Chi with a large smile and she held out a card to me. In fancy lettering, it told me the sorority wanted me to be a part of their sisterhood, and I burst into tears. I hugged my Gamma Chi tightly and signed the pack of the small card with a shaky hand then headed to the chapel to get ready. Ten other girls left the chapel doors with me while the other sororities gained 20-30 girls, but I didn't mind. Just because my sorority was small didn't mean we had any less of a bond than the others, and I ran into my new sisters' arms.

Since that day, I have felt more wanted and loved than I had in a while. As someone who is mentally ill and a part of the LGBT+ community, I went into rush with the expectation of getting dropped by all of the sororities. It was hard for me to believe that nearly 30 girls actually wanted me in their lives, and it remains that way till this day. I'm constantly reminded of how much love is shared through not only our sisterhood, but through every sororities. I have friends that I made throughout the rush process that went to all different places, and if anything, our bond is only stronger.

The moral of the story here is that Greek Life is nothing like the way it's portrayed through the media. You discover true family members and lifelong friends. You don't have to only socialize within your sorority; there's no bad blood or rivalries between any of them. Greek Life isn't about just partying, drinking, and being pretty. It's about sisterhood and brotherhood, and it's about creating relationships that are irreplaceable. We help each other stay on our feet and love one another unconditionally.

Even if Greek Life is the last thing you care about right now, keep your mind open. Whether you join a Greek organization or not, you'll create invaluable bonds and find things out about yourself that you never even knew. Going to college is all about trying new things, experiences, and making memories. Embrace your uniqueness and your talents, and don't be afraid of judgement. No matter what, you'll create lifelong friends and find people that will make you wonder how you lived without them.

So, good luck to all of you freshmen, and remember to have the time of your lives.