At some point in your life, you might find yourself walking into a Panhellenic building or into a sorority house wearing the same recruitment shirt as hundreds of other girls and question why you're there. Almost every one of us has done that, and we don't want you to be afraid. We don't want this fear to stop you from going through formal recruitment.

I considered telling my recruitment story, giving you reasons why you need to rush based on my own experience, but that wouldn't be fair, and it would be biased. So I decided to do a little digging, and I found eight incredible girls with amazing things to say about rush and their sororities. 

Here is what you need to know:

Eight interviews. Eight sororities in alphabetical order. Real college girls. No bias. Here's why you need to go through recruitment.

Alpha Chi Omega

Meet Emilia

What year are you? Sophomore

What year were you when you rushed? I was a freshman!   

What made you decide to go through recruitment? During first semester freshman year, I knew that I loved Baylor, but I also felt like something was missing. Seeing sorority girls around school, rocking letters and always having friends around them made me feel like formal recruitment was calling my name. I knew that I had a lot of love to give, and I felt that the best place to put those feelings would be into a group of girls who would love me right back.   

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? I was hesitant about recruitment just because I’d heard the stereotypes of Greek life at other schools, and thought that they applied to Baylor too. Going to Sub Dinners helped me see that the girls here are special in the sense that stereotypes don’t apply, each group is so individually and beautifully unique.   

When did you realize your sorority was home? On bid day, I walked into an Alpha Chi room full of girls who may have known nothing about me, but showed me love as if we had been friends forever. That’s when I knew that those were sisters and that my chapter was home forever.   

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? The amount of love. Oh my gosh. So much love. I’ve never felt so accepted and appreciated in my whole life! I’m also so passionate about our philanthropy, which makes volunteering so much fun. We also have killer events, and having fun events makes the world go round and keeps sorority girls happy.   

How have you grown since going through recruitment? Alpha Chi has shown me things about myself that I could have never figured out on my own. Being in a sorority has made me more responsible, made me more sensitive to other’s needs and has helped me learn how to maintain healthy relationships with friends, and so much more. Most importantly, I’ve grown more happy, and grown in my relationship with Christ because I have sisters who encourage me to seek what’s good and what’s right. 

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? The formal recruitment process is designed to help you end up where you’re meant to be, so don’t worry about “ending up in the wrong place” or not getting a bid. Focus on being yourself, and not letting other people influence your decision. As cliche as it is, follow your heart! Use your gut feeling when making decisions, and you’ll know you’re in the right place when you walk in on bid day. 

Alpha Delta Pi

Meet Destiny

What year are you? Junior

What year were you when you rushed? Freshman     

What made you decide to go through recruitment? I didn't really feel connected at Baylor or like I really had a friend group, so I wanted a way to be more involved on campus and to find a friend group that I would connect with.   

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? I was a little nervous that I still wouldn't fit in with the girls and that I would struggle with the time commitment.   

When did you realize your sorority was home? It was really simple actually. I remember being in my sister’s dorm room with a couple of other girls from my sorority and we were getting ready for formal, laughing and talking and I just felt so at home with these girls.   

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? I love the girls I am surrounded by the most. They are fun, encouraging women that I just love living life with. I also really like trips to Ronald McDonald House in Temple, Texas. The Ronald McDonald House is our philanthropy and it is so fun that we get the opportunity to be so hands on and really serve the organization. Take-A-Date is another one of my favorite events.   

How have you grown since going through recruitment? I would say I have constantly been challenged and encouraged by the girls around me, and because of that I have grown in confidence and challenged to dream more.   

What would you tell a PNM considering going through recruitment? I would say not to stress and to keep an open mind. I know people say that all the time, but it really is true. Be open to getting to know all of the women in various sororities because they really are fantastic, and there is no need to stress over the recruitment process. I truly believe that God leads you to the place that you will thrive the most and call your home. 

Chi Omega

Meet Holland

What year are you? Junior, Class of 2016   

What year were you when you rushed? Freshman   

What made you decide to go through recruitment? My mom and sister both went through and seeing what they took away from it looked like so much fun. All of the friends they made and what they stood for (philanthropy, etc.) stood out to me.   

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? I knew I wanted to go through recruitment from the beginning. I won’t lie though; it was nice to have a semester to myself because I got to experience Baylor without sorority life. Now being in a sorority, I see the difference it has made in my life and am thankful that I get the opportunity to grow with a group of girls who challenge my understanding of different subjects but also growing through experiences and opportunities to serve.     

When did you realize your sorority was home? I was split for a long time and it was a hard decision, but once I was in Chi Omega for a semester I realized that the girls I was surrounded by genuinely cared and wanted to have fun like me while also making a difference through Make-A-Wish.   

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? My favorite things about Chi Omega are the community, the fun events like Salado and the opportunity to meet new people and make potential friends through my sisters!   

How have you grown since going through recruitment? I have definitely grown. Making a decision by yourself helps a person grow; going Chi-O was one of the best decisions I have made. But I think what was great was that I had the opportunity to meet so many girls from all of the sororities when going through the week of recruitment. Some girls find it tiring and they just want to end up in that final sorority, but I was excited because I got to talk with some really wonderful girls that I otherwise wouldn't have had the chance to talk to in class, at games, etc.   

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? College is a time of trying new things as well as making memories with people that you otherwise wouldn't have met. Recruitment hands you that opportunity. If you decide to go through, I guarantee you will take something from it and find out more about yourself as well as others! 

Delta Delta Delta

Meet Vivian

What year are you? Junior

What year were you when you rushed? Freshman (PC 13 whaddup)

What made you decide to go through recruitment? My best friend from freshman year convinced me to (shout out to my homegirl Alexandra)! And I'm so so SO thankful she did.

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? Not many of my friends from high school rushed in college, so all I knew about Greek life at the time were how Hollywood movies and the media portrayed it. I wasn't sure if I would "fit in" necessarily.

When did you realize your sorority was home? Definitely Recruitment week! I went in with an extremely open mind and Tri Delta just stood out to me all week. Honestly, I was hopelessly hooked once I learned about the philanthropy, St. Jude. I have a personal connection with St. Jude from my past, and I knew that I had an opportunity to give back by joining Tri Delta. Also, the girls! I literally thought, "I want to be this person" after meeting every Tri Delt. I felt so welcomed and loved in the room at a time where clarity was hard to find and decisions were hard to make. Most of all though, I loved what Tri Delta stood for. Kindness, intelligence, honesty, and of course, steadfast love. Theses are the values that I live by and I ultimately wanted to be surrounded by people who shared them with me.

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? Probably, my sisters (duh), events, and the philanthropy. I love being surrounded by girls who inspire me to better myself and support me when I slip. I don't have a biological sister, so I absolutely had to get sorority sisters to make up for the obvious void, and they've done a spectacular job. There are Take-A-Dates and formals, that's what every girl lives for... right? Let's just say that those dates are decorated beautifully in my overflowing planner. And St. Jude, whats not to love? I get to help raise money for an organization that helped save my friend's life and have fun at the same time, it's a pretty good gig.

How have you grown since going through recruitment? In every way I can think of. I am surrounded by women who do amazing things on a daily basis and it pushes me to do the same. I am stronger intellectually, emotionally and spiritually in ways that I could not have imagined coming into Baylor. Also, I dress better (when I'm not wearing a T-shirt entirely too large for me), and thank goodness for that.

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? I would say do it. You won't regret it. Please do it for your sake. I cannot tell you how much being apart of Tri Delta has helped me mature and grow as a person, and I sincerely want all girls to have this opportunity as well. I am positive girls in all of the incredible chapters here would agree with me. You cannot go wrong either because every chapter is pretty stinkin' awesome, so why not? Plus, you're going to get 300 new best friends, and that's always a good thing. Cool, I'll see you at recruitment!

Kappa Alpha Theta

Meet Calyn

What year are you? Senior   

What year were you when you rushed? Sophomore   

What made you decide to go through recruitment? So many things! Both of my parents had extremely successful careers without attending college. With being the first in my family to go to college, I also wanted to set the bar high in many other areas. I wanted to really soak up the college experience and create a legacy for my future family. I also wanted to join to enhance my college experience and really learn what it is like to live in community with girls of similar goals and strengths and how we can best benefit and grow from one another. I saw all of my friends and my mom’s friends that had experienced Greek life and I knew it was something I wanted and something I wanted to share with my daughter (fingers crossed) in the future. 

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? I actually had planned to go through recruitment freshman year and even went though Fall Parties (really dating myself here). After having a rough first semester and feeling really defeated, I received news that one of best friends passed away the day before it was time to return for recruitment. Between my reluctance to start a new semester and losing someone like that, I decided I was not in the best place in my life to return for recruitment and that I would wait a year. It was a hard decision but I am forever grateful because I know God had His hand on me the whole time and had a plan for me all along that was even better than what I had wanted.   

When did you realize your sorority was home? It honestly took me a little while and I think it was more of a gradual realization rather than having that defining moment. But if I had to pinpoint the moment it really hit me it was over the summer after my first semester in Theta had ended. I was serving as a Line Camp Leader for the second summer and I was having a tough time with some personal things. Another Theta that was serving as a leader with me was there for me in my every need and was the person who helped me get through the rough stuff away from public eyes. I couldn’t let my campers see what I was going through and she helped me without me asking. In those moments she was a true sister and I understood what true sisterhood was and that all my sisters had my back and that is where home was.   

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? First is definitely the people, my chapter has some of the most amazing and unique girls that are so kindhearted and caring and I wouldn’t trade these girls for anyone in the world. Second would be how involved and well-rounded my chapter is. Baylor and serving others are two very important things to me and I love seeing how involved my chapter is outside of our sorority. Third would have to be the events, simply because they are so much fun and they are what brings all of us together; anything from Sing to Take-A-Date really just makes me happy to spend time with my sisters.   

How have you grown since going through recruitment? I have grown exponentially in learning how to deal not only with girls but lots of girls at once all in the same place. Growing up, my friend groups were all pretty mixed equally in gender so I never had that ideal image of an all-girl-power friend group. Joining a sorority gave me a crash course in this in the best way possible. I have also grown in how I carry and represent myself. Theta has taught me how a becoming young lady must act and represent herself in public. Theta has given me opportunities to represent myself, and work on my public speaking skills. This was something I didn’t honestly expect but now that I have experienced Greek life I realize it something every chapter aims to do, which is develop young and mature women ready to take on the world. Going Greek builds character and it inspires growth in any woman that chooses to take that path.   

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? There is the advice most girls give like just give it a try, go to SUB dinners, get to know the chapters, and so on, don’t get me wrong those are the right things to do but I want to impart a more heartfelt message that I think is sometimes harder to both hear and tell. Going through recruitment honestly is hard, and if anyone tells you otherwise they are wrong. There is something about it that is hard for everybody and that depends on the person. Some girls might find it hard putting themselves out there and getting to know groups before recruitment week, and others might find it hard going through the actual week because of the unique and insane environment. Regardless if you even think it is something that might not be for you, or you’re dead set on it, just go for it, and don’t give up. I promise in the end it will be worth it and you won’t regret trying and putting yourself out there as long as you stay true to yourself.    

Another piece of advice I have is to stay true to yourself and really try to visualize yourself in that chapter and how you as an individual would best fit and contribute your talents. I have many other friends who liked the idea or overall atmosphere of a sorority, but it didn’t reflect them and who they really are. By senior year they don’t like their sorority and they are uninvolved and have even depinned. That is not what your experience should be like and if anything, you love for your sorority should strengthen and grow over the years. So really look at the sororities and try to envision where you see yourself best fitting in, because if you choose to go a different way you will often find yourself uncomfortable and wishing you had chosen differently. 

Kappa Kappa Gamma

Meet Erika

What year are you? Junior

What year were you when you rushed? Freshman

What made you decide to go through recruitment? I decided to go through recruitment because I wanted to see what sororities were all about. I'm the first person in my family to be in a sorority so I really didn't know what to expect. I knew it was a great way to get involved and make new friendships during my college experience. I also have major FOMO. 

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? I definitely questioned if the sorority life was for me. In high school, I never really had a lot of girl friends except for a select few. Also with not being in a sorority, you hear a lot of predispositions about sororities that make you question if it's right for you. As for recruitment, I knew it wouldn't hurt to go through with it.

When did you realize your sorority was home? I realized my sorority was home once I fully understood what Kappa Kappa Gamma stands for. I felt so thankful to be in a sorority that held such high values on faith, philanthropy, community, etc. Once you walk through that door as a member for the first time, you immediately feel welcomed and loved on by all these girls. It's crazy to think about how many genuine friendships you make in such a short amount of time.

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? My three favorite things about my sorority would be the sense of community, everlasting friendships and fun events like Kappa Karnival.

How have you grown since going through recruitment? Since joining Kappa, I've definitely gained more interest in becoming more involved on campus and in the community.

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? For anyone going through recruitment, I would tell them to keep an open mind and don't stress! It may be overwhelming but recruitment is supposed to be a fun process where you get to meet girls, learn about all the sororities and find out where you fit in all of it! All of Baylor's wonderful sororities have something great to offer. 

Pi Beta Phi

Meet Rachel

What year are you? Junior

What year were you when you rushed? Freshman

What made you decide to go through recruitment? I wanted to be a part of a community where I could thrive and thought it would be exciting to be involved in a sorority!

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? Not really, my older sister was a Pi Phi so she always talked about how much she loved it. 

When did you realize your sorority was home? I realized Pi Phi was home during actual recruitment week. Throughout the entire week of rush I just wanted to stay in the Pi Phi room the whole time, and each morning when we got to see who invited us back I would immediately check for Pi Phi's name. Then once Bid Day came around I was completely overjoyed when I saw I had a bid from Pi Beta Phi! It was literally one of the most exciting and overwhelming feelings I've ever experienced, and I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. 

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? That's so hard! But I definitely love the people. Everyone genuinely wanted to be my friend and invest time in me, and the girls are all unique, super fun-loving and not afraid to be themselves. I also love that Pi Phi has the desire to excel in everything, whether that be in intramurals, Sing, Pigksin, float, social events, or recruitment and we have a great time while doing it. My third favorite thing about Pi Phi is that we offer an amazing support system where we can be honest and open with each other and, as cliché as this sounds, create friendships with one another that will continue even once we're out of college.

How have you grown since going through recruitment? SISTERHOOD! I've truly grown so much since going through recruitment! Being in a sorority encourages you to step outside of your comfort zone at times and it calls you to be a leader, because you're no longer just representing yourself, you're representing your entire chapter. It has also significantly enhanced my college experience by allowing me to be more involved at Baylor and it's made me more spontaneous. I've learned to see differences in others and really appreciate that individual, which is a cool place to be in life when you realize everyone has their own strengths and that makes them irreplaceable.  

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? Have fun! Pray, breathe, relax. Recruitment is a time you're supposed to enjoy, not be stressed out! While everyone gets a little nervous, just remember that you're going to end up where you should and your experience is going to be what you make of it, so make it a memory to last a lifetime. 

Zeta Tau Alpha

Meet Becca

What year are you? I am a sophomore.      

What year were you when you rushed? I rushed my freshman year.

What made you decide to go through recruitment? In high school I was on drill team, which is kind of like being in a sorority. You have insane amounts of T-shirts, formals, bigs and littles, etc. It was essentially high school’s way for breeding you for Greek life, except you danced for 20 hours a week. I also did not have a lot of girl friends coming into college, and I really thought Greek life would be a great way to meet people and make more genuine friendships. Greek life was also one of the only ways to get involved on campus that interested me freshman year.

Did you have anything hindering you from going through recruitment? No not really. I had all of my rec letters done in the summer and I met lots of girl throughout the semester. My only true worry was if I was going to be able to do this financially.     

When did you realize your sorority was home? It’s hard to pinpoint the moment I knew I was home. Zeta became home when my sisters would ask me how my day was every time they saw me, invite me to dinner or lunch, or ask me to study with them. Zeta especially became my home when I found my Zeta family. I already knew my big before becoming a Zeta, and by the time we made it to Big/Little reveal, I knew I had made a friend for life. She’s always there for me, has seen me cry, gives me advice, talks about life with me, loves Disney as much as I do and has made her Baylor family mine. Without Zeta I would not have her. Zeta also gave me an amazing pledge class that genuinely cares about me. This semester my sisters have offered me so much comfort, support and places to stay for when I do not feel like going home. Zeta is my home, and that I made the right choices during recruitment.

What are your three favorite things about your sorority? The people are obviously one of my favorite things. Zetas are so caring, giving, God fearing, fun and sassy women. They always know how to have a good time and are just a bundle of joy to be around. I love our philanthropy so much, Breast Cancer Education and Awareness. I feel like it’s a topic relatable to all because it affects so many. My mom’s best friend is a breast cancer survivor, and my best friend’s mom from back home passed away from breast and brain cancer. I know many of my sisters have family members that are survivors, are currently suffering and/or have recently passed away from breast cancer. Breast cancer is everywhere, and it warms my heart so much when we raise money to help the loved ones of those around us. My third favorite thing about my sorority is chapter meeting. I know most people hate chapter meetings, and ours is kind of at an inconvenient time, but it’s the one time once a week that we are all together. I get to see people I don’t normally have the chance to during the week, and it’s a nice break from homework.    

How have you grown since going through recruitment? I have grown in every aspect of my life. I have grown as a friend through nourishing relationships, grown as a student through my time management and prioritizing and I have grown in self confidence. Zeta has given me confidence in my skills as a leader, communicator and teammate. It has also given me self-confidence in friendships. I have had a lot of issues with rejection in the past, but Zeta brought me out of my shell and taught me how not to be afraid to seek friendship in those around you.    

What would you tell a girl considering going through recruitment? Keep an open mind. I know its cliche and everyone says that, but it's completely true. I did not expect to be a Zeta before going through recruitment, but do I feel like it is where I was meant to be? Yes. One-hundred percent. Every sorority is so unique and special, so no matter where you end up, you should at least give them a chance to win you over. Do not let anyone pressure you into their sorority. That is scary and all of my first semester at Baylor I felt this way. That is not how the process is supposed to be. These older sorority women are supposed to help guide you and be your friends, not make you feel like you are being “rushed.” Recruitment is about finding your home, so do not be discouraged by the amount of parties you have every day or what rooms you are going to because it’s not worth it. This is an experience of a lifetime, so go with the flow, be yourself and know that you will find your place.