Last week, the blocks near my apartment were swarming with women, each of them searching for that elusive pot of gold beyond the rainbow — social acceptance and a sense of belonging.

During Rush Week, hordes of these women, mostly dressed alike, visited sorority houses together and invest all the energy they had into a tumultuous week of emotional ups and downs while they waited for the big finale: Bid Day. For some, this one week, boiled down to one day, will shape the rest of their social life at Iowa State and even after college in their careers.

But, honestly, how can spending one week getting to know the houses and members of sororities really prepare anyone for picking the “right” one to fit their own interests, especially a group made up of mostly freshmen women who aren’t familiar with college life?

The sororities’ potential “bids,” or members, are all like sheep, driven about in flocks from one place to another, presented with a whirlwind of information which most likely doesn’t have time to sink in. It’s like these women are being put on display, with only their potential to further the sororities’ interests under consideration. No one really seems to have their interests at heart.

Being bid upon and treated like some farm animal at an auction isn’t what I came to college for, and it shouldn’t be the fate of any woman here. But it is, and it isn’t fair to women just looking for friends in a strange, new place.

Granted, most women also join sororities for their philanthropic aspects, to build their resumes by taking leadership positions within the sorority, or to create connections related to their desired career after college. And some sororities are quite different from others.

But I don’t know of any women who joined sororities for these reasons and are still members after a year or so. They learned they could get things done on their own. As for those “different” sororities — Iowa State might have one. If we’re lucky.

So, we come back to the ultimate question: Why do women feel the need to join sororities? I know for a fact that, after spending time in college, living in the dorms, going to classes and meeting people, you do make friends and contacts. If you’re outgoing and keep yourself busy, you meet people quickly. For the not-so-confident, it may take awhile.

So shyness could be a reason, but it really isn’t. No matter how much you lock yourself in your dorm room, I’ve found that, sooner or later, someone on your floor will knock on your door and ask you to go to lunch with them, or see if you want to watch a movie. There are also scads of student organizations devoted to every possible interest, and by going to one meeting you can find people like you. Potential friends are simply everywhere.

But for people who want to belong to an “elite group,” I would guess that greek life is the way to go. Exclusivity has always been their trademark. Having rituals and traditions established long ago makes each woman a part of tradition themselves and, reminiscent of people from “old money” on the East Coast, they seem to think that this gives them some advantage over everyone else.

However, seeing as how we’re all connected to history by this crazy thing called life, I’d say each and every one of us are sisters — we’ve laughed together, cried together, died together — and this sisterhood is much bigger than anything any sorority could provide you. Secret societies are for people who didn’t outgrow high school.

And don’t think I’m bitter: I realize I couldn’t get into a sorority to save my life. I have no illusions — I’m not exactly the type they’re looking for.

It didn’t take too much searching on the Internet to understand why.

Many sorority Web sites included online calendars stating the dates of women’s engagements and wedding announcements. Even in their statements of sisterhood is included the importance of being there when your sister gets married. Excuse me, but I don’t think that is something of the utmost importance in a woman’s life — who you are and what you accomplish matters more than the man you’re connected with. You can blow out a candle when I win a Pulitzer — that’s important.

However, I did notice that a majority of sororities emphasized the importance of academic scholarship by rewarding their sisters with treats and prizes. Most houses also have designated study rooms and study hours for members with low GPAs. This is definitely a step in the right direction.

But, relative to where society stands today, it isn’t much at all. Sororities are slowly becoming obsolete because other resources are available to us. Sisterhood isn’t contingent on pledging — lifelong friends can be found without having to pay dues for them.