Letter to a Rushee
As the 2024 rush season is beginning tomorrow, I wanted to share a few pieces of advice to rushees who may be feeling nervous, overwhelmed, anxious, and anything in between.
I remember all of these feelings from when I rushed AED as a sophomore. At the time, my whole world seemed to revolve around getting into AED or not, which seems to be a common experience for many rushees. Here are some pieces of advice that I wish someone would have told me as I went through the rush process:
Everyone that you will meet in AED throughout the rush process understands how you are feeling. We all have been there at one point or another.
Have fun!!! We are looking for authentic, genuine, and enthusiastic new AED members, so show us your personality. We want to get to know you as much as you want to get to know us.
Continue to prioritize your time as a student, family member, friend, etc. Sometimes it is easy to let one aspect of your life consume you, but remember the importance of being well-rounded and mindful of how you spend your time and energy.
Be kind to yourself. Take time to decompress and do the activities that fill you up.
Putting yourself out there is no easy feat– be proud of your courage and be confident! No matter where you are in your pre-health journey, now is your time to show off your hard work and personality.
No matter what the outcome of your rush process is, your accomplishments and successes have not gone unnoticed.
The other side of rush is often just as intimidating as rushing itself. You aren’t the only person in the room feeling nervous! And moreover, other rushees are likely feeling the same way as you, so use this as an opportunity to make new friendships.
If you are an introvert, do not fear! We have plenty of opportunities for one-on-one conversations and understand that everyone is different and some people may take longer to open up. As long as you are interested and engaged, shyness will never be penalized.
At times it may feel like you are being judged, but know that we are only trying to get to know you better, and see where you may fit into our AED family.
While the rush process may feel intimidating, know that everything happens for a reason, as cliche as it may sound. Everything will work out the way it is supposed to, even if it may not feel like it at the time.
I could go on and on about all of the opportunities that AED has provided me, from hundreds of volunteer hours, to job opportunities, connections within the healthcare field, dozens of invaluable friendships, leadership experience, and a reason to look forward to Tuesday nights, I have learned so much from all of the amazing people in this organization.
If someone would have told my sophomore-year-self, who was ready to submit a transfer application, that in a mere two years, I would be the vice president of the organization I so badly longed to be a part of, I simply would not have believed them. Everything really does happen for a reason, and I feel so lucky that AED was my reason to stay at Michigan. I hope that in the coming weeks, many of you will consider AED to be your reason to find the best version of yourself, however that may look for you.
I cannot wait to meet all of you, and I hope that this provides some reassurance for anyone who may need it :)
AED Love,
Ellie
Some of the many people who have made my AED experience <3
