It's All Greek to Me

Put simply, rush is an odd mix of an all-girls camp and the Hunger Games. You step into each house- ehem, mansion- and are ushered forward by a sea of beautiful women chanting tunes that will replay in your mind for at least twelve hours. One of these women links arms with you, and once you reach the chapter room, the largest space in the house, you try to be heard over the hundreds of other girls that surround you. You answer questions like, "Where are you from?" and "What's your major?" over and over again. It's nerve-wracking because as you evaluate whether or not you like them, you wonder if they like you.

Beneath the surface of the craziness that is rush, something deeper occurs. As the rounds go on, you break free of the monotony of small talk and form genuine connections. You fall in love with a house and gush about your "Rush Crush." While there's often heartbreak along the way, like when you get dropped by a house that you liked, nothing beats the sheer joy you experience as you sprint to your new sisters on Bid Day.

I came into the sorority recruitment process without an inkling of what house I wanted. That's the best way to do it. Because I had an open mind, I was able to experience each house for it was truly was without having any preconceived notions. From the moment I first stepped into the Alpha Delta Pi house, I loved it. At the time, I wouldn't admit to myself how much I loved it because that seemed to be the house that everyone wanted. I was afraid of getting my hopes up only to then be heartbroken. Throughout the entire process, my prayer was "My life and my plans in Your hands."

As the rounds continued, I was elated every time I saw that ADPi was still on my list of parties that I had been invited back to. During the second round, I spoke to two seniors who got choked up when they realized that this was their last year together. That made me choke up, too. At the end of the party, the whole house sang a version of American Pie, my favorite song. At that moment I knew that ADPi was the one.

Then, during Preference Round, they read each of us potential new members an individual letter saying why they liked us and why they wanted us to be their sister. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. Not only did I like the girls of ADPi, but I wanted to be like them. They all were so endearing and accomplished and ambitious. They made me want to be a better person.

On Bid Day, over 1,400 girls gathered in the Colonial Life Arena, all anxious to see if we would have a happy ending to the exhausting process. Much to our dismay, Bid Day was delayed. We sat on the cold concrete floor and waited, and waited, and waited. After three excruciating hours of anticipation, Bid Day finally began. We formed small circles, faced outwards, and put our hands palms-up behind our backs. A tank top was placed in my hands. It feels soft. ADPi's shirts look soft, I thought. Sure enough, when they gave us the okay and I unrolled my shirt, I saw the greek letters Alpha Delta Pi glistening in gold writing. A giant smile erupted on my face and I jumped up and down. "Are you happy?' my Pi Chi asked me. "YES!" I squealed, and took off towards my new sisters.

I can't wait to experience the plans God has for me these next four years and the role that Greek life will play in that. I love my ADPi!