Ali Jackson | For a sophomore, second time's a charm

I felt like a loser.

There I was, in a room full of bubbly, smiling girls, and I didn't know one person. Not one.

Everyone was running around, catching up with friends or waving at each other from across the room while I sat alone in the back row. It seemed like I didn't have any friends, but I had to keep reminding myself - of course you don't know anyone. They're all freshmen.

Welcome to my first foray into sorority rush as a sophomore.

As you've probably heard, rush for girls isn't the most relaxing process in the world - especially when you compare yourself to the drunken boys stumbling down the street headed to the next "Battle of the cheese steaks" event. Three of them even tried to line up in alphabetical order with us outside of a sorority.

I was not amused.

However, for me, rush held a much more terrifying twist: what would they think of me, a sophomore?

The Panhellenic Council does not track how many sophomores rush each year, but I certainly noticed more of us than I remember being there last year.

I'd heard rumors that some sororities frowned upon sophomores - what's wrong with you if you couldn't get into one as a freshman?

I spoke to a College junior in one such sorority who told me under the condition of anonymity, "We don't eliminate sophomores immediately, but there are definitely some doubts about what happened to them as a freshman." She gave me a pointed look. "You should come up with a good story about why you dropped out last year."

I ran through options in my head: Too much stress? Heavy workload? Mysterious illness? Or the deliberately vague "family emergency?"

None seemed quite right. You see, I dropped out last year because I got cut from all but one sorority. That's right - the truth is out. I was declared socially inept by a committee of my peers. Sweet.

You can see why I may have been a tad anxious going into rush this year. I imagined countless scenarios, trying to prepare for any line of conversation.

And in all this preparation, never once did I consider that I might have an amazing experience - but that's what happened.

Immediately upon entering the first house I visited, I felt an unprecedented calm come over me. With every conversation, my confidence grew and I felt myself start to act like, well, me.

As a result, the process was incredibly simple. I knew where I fit in, and guess what? The girls there knew it too.

I got home from the final round of rush about a half an hour ago and was immediately inspired to start writing. As I sit here in my cocktail dress and heels, I know that the house I have just left will be my home for the next two and a half years and beyond.

I don't mean to get cheesy, but it's important that you realize that your life is not over if you don't pledge as a freshman.

Never mind the fact that not being in a sorority has little to no bearing on your social life (for those of you who have ever seen me out, you know what I'm talking about). If you really want it, it can still happen for you.

College sophomore Michelle Jacobson, who rushed for the first time this year, said, "If I had rushed last year, I probably wouldn't have ended up in the place that was right for me." She stressed that this extra year has given her time to get to know herself and what she wants before devoting her life to a sorority. "I know more now about what I want in a sisterhood," Jacobson said.

I completely agree. Not only did I know what I wanted, but it was easier to find - as a sophomore, I had much more in common with the girls I was meeting. We could move on from the typical "Where do you live? What's your major?" conversation and start to really get to know one another.

Our topics ranged from life after college and views on dating to how hungover we both were - I guess it might have been obvious from the fact that of all the yummy snacks set out for us, I had chosen to nibble on a saltine cracker.

In any case, I found that, rather than hinder me, being a sophomore helped me find the house where I belong.

That's why I encourage all of you freshmen for whom rush just didn't work out to try it again next year - you never know when you'll bond with someone over an upset stomach and a sensitivity to light.

Ali Jackson is a Wharton and College sophomore from Cardiff, Calif. Her e-mail address is jackson@dailypennsylvanian.com. A Little Person-Ali-ty appears on Mondays.

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