Kylan Darnell went viral during Bama Rush. Now, she’s ready to talk about the toll it took.

On Aug. 6, 2022, Kylan Darnell, then a freshman at the University of Alabama, woke up with excited jitters. It was the first day of sorority recruitment, a milestone that she says felt like the start of adult life.

Dressed in a carefully curated outfit — Gucci patterned shorts, a Zara top and a stack of Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Kendra Scott bracelets — she hit “record” from her dorm room, posting an outfit video that launched her into virality. It marked the beginning of her persona as a sorority girl, one that would come to define her online brand once she joined Zeta Tau Alpha at the school.

“Hey y’all, today is the first day of Bama Rush and I am so excited,” Darnell shared in a TikTok as she walked through her outfit of the day, or #OOTD. “I’m so excited for this new chapter of my life and I hope you stay tuned with me.”

Nearly four years and more than a million followers later, Darnell has become the face of “Rush Tok,” the nickname for the corner of the internet documenting sorority recruitment. But behind the brand deals, designer outfits and elaborate costumes, the process was taking a toll.

“When I did essentially get famous online, I was really vulnerable,” Darnell says. “I didn’t really know how to navigate it… I tried my best to be absolutely perfect.”