Coming from a small farm town in Southern Illinois, I spent my childhood making mud pies, climbing in grain bins, and following my three brothers around on the farm we grew up on, where they taught me everything I needed to know about how to be a boy.

I had never had a sister. I didn’t know what it was like to argue over clothes, fight over bathroom time, nor did I ever learn how to braid hair or dress up like a princess, as most normal girls do when they’re young.

As I grew up, I eventually learned all of those things…I taught myself how to do my own makeup, shave my legs, and I even mastered how to talk to a boy without acting like one.

When I was a senior in high school, I couldn’t tell you why I chose to come to Murray. I was looking at much larger universities and why I chose Murray? I had no clue. I didn’t know anyone here or have any ties to this small town but for some reason, I ended up in Murray, Kentucky.

My first semester, I was an independent. I didn’t join a sorority, but I joined all the other clubs on campus. I knew nothing about Greek life because that doesn’t exist in my small hometown. It was never an option in my head to rush because I thought I knew exactly what a sorority consisted of from all the cheesy movies I’ve seen that portray Greek life.

But, over the course of my first semester, I had met a few sorority girls from all different organizations on campus that recruited the heck out of me. I think at one point I was thinking, Oh my gosh, I can't believe I’m considering joining their cult.”

I was able to make my own opinion of each organization as they recruited me. Some were way too far down my throat, others were so overly nice to me and yet, my only thought was “Oh my gosh, I absolutely cannot believe I’m considering joining their cult.”

But this was before I walked into the Sigma house. It was different there. Those girls didn’t try and give me their tag line speech of how great their life was since they joined a sorority. We talked about how we were participating in the no-shave November, just as an excuse to get away with not shaving our legs for a whole month. We talked about how hungry we were after we had just eaten a full meal at Qdoba and while we were literally attending the Thanksgiving potluck dinner with food sitting in front of us. And best of all, we talked about sports and events and things that didn’t always pertain to Greek life.

Meeting all of those girls on Miller Street in the Sigma Sigma Sigma - Alpha Chi house changed my perspective. I was no longer joining a cult…I was joining a sisterhood, something I knew nothing about.

So in the spring of 2014, I chose Sigma.

It was much more than just "choosing sigma," though. I chose wisdom, power, faith, hope, and love. I chose some of the greatest memories I’ll ever experience. I chose the greatest role models, best support systems, and lifelong friendships that will always keep me laughing.

Best of all though, I chose freedom to still be Kelsey because Tri Sigma would never try to change who I really am inside.

I recently searched UrbanDictionary.com, a website that allows users to add their own “slang” words to the online webpage dictionary.

I typed in Tri Sigma and here’s the #1 definition that came up:

“A tri-sigma is a woman of class and stature. She is the girl next door. She is a little bit of everything; a trendsetter, an artist, and an athlete. She is classy, honest, chill, and respectable. She is the definition of sexy. A tri-sigma is who everyone wants to be. A tri-sigma girl is always on top of it.”

And Lord have mercy, I couldn’t agree more.

I no longer question why I chose Murray State University my senior year of high school. I believe that God placed me in this small town for multiple reasons, and the number one reason is because of all of these girls I'm surrounded by every day. Not only did I gain the opportunity to wear the best letters on campus, I gained 140 sisters that would have my back no matter what.

To the parents who don’t know Greek life specifically, I know you all wonder what your daughter is doing within a sorority: spending all her money on T-shirts, spending her time attending philanthropies and millions of other activities throughout the Greek community, and perfecting the sorority girl squat because did it really happen if you didn’t take a picture?

Take my word on it, moms and dads, your daughter is in great hands. She’s learning how to be the best version of herself in all aspects of life, she’s forming her home away from home, and she’s being taught lifelong lessons that will shape and mold your daughter into the young woman she’s aspiring to be.

In Sigma, she has the opportunity to take leadership and build her resume for the working world. In addition, Sigma Sigma Sigma also enjoys giving back to our community and participating in multiple hours of community service each semester.

Each individual in Tri Sigma brings uniqueness and multitudes of personality to our chapter, and my favorite part about being a Sigma sister, is that no matter how weird or bizarre I am, they have to love me anyways because we are all stuck together for life.

The group of people your daughter associates with says a lot about her character and if you ask me, she’s on the right track.

They say that in the Greek community, you’re paying for your friends…But I’ll be there first to tell you that there’s no way I’m paying enough, if that’s the case.