When I was in high school, I didn’t know too much about sororities. I only knew about them from media and from college youtubers I had been following at the time. All I knew was that sororities have very expensive dues.
During the summer before my freshman year, I came across an article about the benefits of rushing a non-Panhellenic organization. I considered rushing but was stressed out over so many other aspects of campus that I didn’t find the chance to rush freshman year.
Throughout the year, I would see my friends posting on Instagram about their bigs and littles and the amazing family they found in their sorority. Seeing posts like those made me want a family of my own. When I returned to campus for my sophomore year, I decided to give rushing a try because I was curious about the experience as well as the possibility of finding a family of my own.
That fall, I knew for sure that I did not want to rush Panhellenic due to its high cost, so the option of rushing another kind of social sorority seemed like a good one. In the fall of my sophomore year, I rushed for Sigma Sigma Rho, a sorority centered around women of South Asian descent. I received the flyer from Turlington plaza where members were handing them out, and I decided to attend the rush events.
The first event was an info session about the sorority. Basically, at the event, I learned what the sorority was all about. I thought the sorority was pretty interesting and would be a great way to meet other south Asian women like myself.
The second event I went to for Sigma Sigma Rho was a speed-dating event, where the current members of the sorority would ask questions to the rushees about themselves. It was pretty intense, conversing with many people in a short amount of time, but it was still a great experience.
The third event I attended was a brew-your-own-facemasks DIY social, which I found really enjoyable since I love DIYs. I still have the small container with the mixture at home right now. Attending one informational and two rush events was what was required to qualify for a bid. Ultimately, I found out I was not accepted into the sorority, but I still went to the class reveal to support my fellow rushees.
The following spring, I decided to rush Phi Sigma Rho, an engineering sorority. In the previous fall, I had attended a Smore’s event hosted by them and thought it would be another great sorority to rush for since I’m a computer science major under the College of Engineering. The girls I met at the event were really nice, and I thought the sorority would be a good fit for me. I decided to follow their page on Facebook to know about upcoming events.
In the spring, the first event I went to was also a speed-dating event. The event was similar to the one last fall, except there were more people, and there was only one question per round instead of several. The second event I went to was a game night. It was a fun-filled night of playing Uno and other games with the current members and rushees. The last event I attended was dessert night, which had many sweets. After the rush events, I received an email for an interview. The interview wasn’t very stressful, and I was asked some basic questions about myself. Next, I had to wait a couple of days to see whether I was accepted. The sad email came, saying I was not accepted.
After two rejections from sororities, I was upset and didn’t feel like I was good enough as a person. Later, I realized that getting into a sorority is competitive, especially when there are so many people rushing, and it’s a challenge to be the best of a crowd of people. Also, I realized that your acceptance into a sorority does not determine your self-worth. Whether you get accepted into a sorority or not, you’re still an amazing person who has a lot to offer.
That spring, I also applied to be a features writer for Her Campus UFL. I had read Her Campus articles since I was in high school and was always inspired by their content. I eagerly submitted my application and hoped for the best. Soon, I received the email from Her Campus over winter break saying I was accepted. I was super thrilled. I could not wait to start sharing my own experiences on the site.
Ultimately, it’s disappointing that I didn’t get admitted into a sorority, but I was able to find my family elsewhere, in Her Campus UFL. I’m just starting out this semester, but I already feel welcomed by the club. In a way, I was getting everything I wanted out of a sorority but in a new way that I never knew was possible until now. I love my Her Campus UFL family and am so glad I found my place in a great organization. If you don’t get accepted into a sorority, remember there’s other organizations and teams you can get involved in and find your place on campus.