During recruitment last year, I walked into Alpha Phi’s first rounds complete with butterflies in my stomach. Unbeknownst to me, I was greeted at the door by a sister who would change my life forever. I had heard so many stories about girls meeting their rush crush and finding it so difficult to leave the room, and I only wished I would be that lucky. Thanks to Lindsey, I was.

In the first rounds, she immediately became my rush crush. Talking to her was like talking to the person I aspired to be. We began talking about anything and everything and topic after topic; we just clicked! For a while, I completely forgot I was in recruitment; it just felt like talking to a friend. When the first round ended, the two of us were still chatting up a storm, and I just remember walking out of there, thinking, "Wow, I really hope I get the chance to finish that story for her!" Walking out of that room was so difficult for me, and I hoped that she felt the same way as I left the room.

Soon enough, Lindsey and I went from rush crush to sisters and then to big and little. Not only did I find someone who shared the same dream as mine, but someone who could help me get there as well. One of my favorite things about college is finding people who share the same passion, and working together to create something that would have never been the same with only one person. Bouncing idea off of and collaborating with Lindsey gave me so much inspiration for the work I created and I felt myself growing as a person and an artist.

Lindsey not only showed me her life, but she immersed me in it. By introducing me to The Odyssey, of which she was editor-in-chief of at the time, and going on countless photo shoots, I was exactly where I wanted and needed to be. With her being the chair photographer and me being a photography major, we prided ourselves on being the "photog pham." There was never a time when you didn't see us at an event with our cameras or randomly exploring Muncie and being each other's models. I felt like I was given my own place within the sorority.

Growing up, I have always been the little sister. With the new members now here, I'm finding myself in a position I've never been in before. Taking photos without Lindsey this year really hit me and made me realize what I would need to step up and do. There's no way to describe the mix of excitement and terror you feel when you're taking the position of someone you want to make proud.

Now here I am, with the opportunities that she has passed down to me. A year later, in the place where my big was, I'm trying to keep it together as well as she did. It's always intimidating, being in the position where the person you look up to was in before, but I'll use that as a motivator. I'm looking at these new members, hoping I can be even partly as inspirational as Lindsey was to me. I'll stand tall in the spot she gave me and work my hardest, because if there's one thing she taught me, it's that with passion and focus, you can reach your goals.

I was given my big's shoes because she knew I could strut my stuff in them. I can only hope my little feet will fit.