[BraveMaroon]

They let me work "behind the scenes" my senior year because we had plenty of actives to rush. I know my appearance probably factored into it - I had put on a few extra pounds and I was dealing with some weird haircut issues. I was also not a strong rusher. And I admit that freely.

I could set up chairs and tables, I could get up at zero dark thirty and iron tablecloths, inflate hundreds of balloons, sweep the front porch. I wrote song parodies and made costumes and sets for skits, and I was a solid officer on Exec as a Junior. But I couldn't do chit chat. Plus, the hair.

I remember asking if it was my weight, and they told me no. Which was a lie of kindness. And I was so glad to get out of the first few rounds I didn't press it. I do remember hanging out at the apartment of one of my pledge sisters a few months later. One of them commented that with the new pledges being so different, none of us would be offered a bid in our own sorority if we were rushing. That is how much it had changed.

I think social media does a huge disservice to PNMs. And actives, too. Every wants the fully curated pinterest-perfect experience.

What they don't see is the night you chewed out your roommate for borrowing your lipstick without asking, or the extra long chapter meeting a night before the make or break calc test. They don't see the work that goes into making events a success. They don't realize that they are going to be doing that same hard work in mere months.

And I guess my big question is, Freshman 15 aside, how can someone who was a ten at your pref party be a three after they initiate?

I have a bad feeling this is more true than not.