Throughout the month of August, UniversityChic.com will be offering tips, tricks (and the REAL 411) about what you can expect when rushing a sorority. Each of the articles you see here are written by actual current and former sorority sisters, so the information provided is from an insider’s perspective.

By Kristy Shaulis University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

As a high school senior, I knew before I was even accepted to college that I wanted be in a sorority. I registered for rush during my summer orientation and spent my time daydreaming about how amazing Greek life would be. I couldn’t have been more excited, nervous, or exhilarated…I also couldn’t have been more naïve.

Don’t get me wrong, Greek life has the potential to be everything you’ve ever wanted and more. But don’t expect rush to be the last step in the process. If anything, it’s just the beginning.

One of the main reasons why I chose to attend the University of Illinois was because it has one of the largest Greek systems in the nation. However, as a lowly freshman, I didn’t realize that this meant rush would be one of the most crazed and stressful times of my life. Imagine hundreds of girls running around campus in heels and sundresses trying to preserve their makeup in the summer heat. You end up repeating a lot of the same information over and over again (name, major, where your from, etc.) and after your sixth tiny cup of lemonade, you’ll feel as though you would kill for an extra value meal from McDonalds. But hey, if you want to be in a sorority, rush is the only game in town.

When it’s all said and done, there will be moments that make it all worth it; The first time you walk into a house and hear the excited roar of their chant or their catchy song. The moment you finally connect with a chapter and feel as though you could talk to them forever. The third invite where you get to see how important the sorority is to its members and why its had such a huge impact on their life.

Sure, there will be disappointments along the way. You might not get your top choice, or you might even end up deciding Greek life isn’t for you. But overall, you’ll meet some great people and maybe even forge a friendship with a few of them.

There are still a ton of great reasons to rush other than the obvious (i.e., in order to join a sorority). A lot of girls rush just to get to know other people on campus. It’s actually a great way to meet other students who may be in your classes (I spent five full days with the girls I rushed with- if that doesn’t provide a great foundation for friendship, I don’t know what does!) Also, it’s a great way to learn your way around campus. Depending on how many sororities your school has, you might end up doing a lot of running back and forth.

Bottom line: Rush is an amazing experience that will leave you with plenty of memories. Whether you end up pledging a sorority or not, the process is unforgettable and will help strengthen both you as a person and the experiences you take with you after college is over. Just don’t build it up to be more than it is. It’s not just about dressing the right way, or saying the right thing. It’s really just the first step in the next four years of your life.