It's that lovely, wonderful, horribly stressful time of year again: recruitment season! I am not a recruitment expert by any means; I am going to be a sophomore this year, so it will be my first time being on the other side of the process. I wasn't sure what to expect when I went through last fall, so here is a list of things I was told, learned on my own, or wish I had known.

1. Be yourself.

When you're in "your" house, you won't even worry about the way you look or the quirky things you say. What kind of "quirky" things did I say, you ask? During house tours, I accidentally said, "Hide ya candles, hide ya wife" when the girls told us they weren't supposed to have candles burning. For some reason, they thought that was hilarious, and I was known as "candle girl" for a while. There were times throughout the week where I worried I didn't look "pretty" enough for a certain house. Looking back on it, that's obviously very silly. I mean, you should make sure you brush your teeth before each day of recruitment, but stop worrying about your flyaway hair or the tiny wrinkle on your shirt. It's seriously fine.

2. Stop stressing!

I am not exaggerating when I say that I had a full-blown rash on my face by the end of recruitment week. So don't come to me for beauty tips. I stressed so much that I developed a face rash! Seriously, don't be a Madeline. The girls in the houses are just as nervous and stressed as you are, so remember that and feel a little more at ease. I just hope I don't get another rash this year. Here is a photo of me failing to throw what I know, featuring said rash. It's faint, but it's there.

3. Be open-minded.

It's so easy to keep the stereotypes you've heard about each house in the back of your mind, especially if you live in the same town where you're going through recruitment. This is the most one of the most important things you should remember: IT'S YOUR DECISION. Never mind if your aunt's cousin's best friend's sister twice removed said you'd be perfect for a certain house, guess what? Not her decision. In the end, it's about which organization you think will be the best fit for you.

4. Everything will work out.

Sometimes there are girls who end up in organizations they swore they'd never be a part of, but they end up loving it. Some girls go through recruitment and decide Greek life just isn't for them. No matter what the outcome is, it'll all be okay! Nobody looks down on you if you decide not to go Greek, and nobody looks down on you for being in a certain organization.

No matter what letters you end up wearing, you'll be gaining a sisterhood, meeting lots of new people, and will get to give back to the community and your philanthropy. And that's way better than any lettered shirt you wear.