It’s rush week this week at universities around the country. Whether you are in the rush process or considering it, I want to ask, why are you doing it?

Do you want friends and think this is an easy way to get it

Do you not believe you would make friends otherwise

Do you want to live in the big fancy house

Do you want to look cool walking down the street with your group

Do you want the prestige of saying you’re in a specific sorority [enter greek letters here]

Do your parents or other friends want you to do it?

If you want to join because you really want to join, that’s cool. Besides the hazing process, I’m not against sororities, but I think there is a lot of peer pressure that goes into joining the greek community. I want you to be clear on why you are rushing and whether you really want to or if it’s because of an outside influence on you. If you think it is, let’s get clear on it. Ask yourself these questions instead:

Why do you want friends and to belong so desperately ? Or more importantly why do you think a sorority is the only place you can make friends? Why do you think you can’t make friends without this?

Why do you want to look cool?
Why do you want to live int he big fancy house?

Why do you want the prestige of being Ian a sorority?

Once you’ve thought of the reason behind your actions, think of how you really want to act. If you think you won’t make friends any other way and you think no one will like you because you are awkward or different. What are you going to make that mean about yourself? That being different is a bad thing and you’ll never find anyone who wants to know you, then you’ll feel lonely. First, is that true? And why is it bad to feel lonely. Isn’t it worse to be pretend to be friends with people who really don’t understand you.

It’s scary to go against the grain, especially when scratching out a new existence in college. Start the year off right and be yourself. Watch this video on how to think for yourself.

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