It’s move-in day and you’re trampling over 60 (give or take) other girls, scrambling to squeeze all of your luggage in a small two inch by two inch room that you share with a roommate. You see girls you recognize, girls you don’t, either way, you’re getting hugs from all around from people who you may not even know—people that are just excited to be a part of something bigger. The house is gorgeous, the girls are too, and you don’t understand how this can become your real life for the next couple years. You manage to unpack and hang up tapestries and decorations and crafty things that were given to you, and now you’re left with nothing else to do but to bond with 150 friends and strangers. With school coming soon, you’re left frantic to get your life together, but also to enjoy the last days of summer and connect with your new girl squad.

Everyone appears to have more clothes than you, but don’t worry, they’re willing to share. You don’t have speakers? You don’t need them! Someone else is blasting music down the hall at all times. And if they’re not, someone else is playing the grand piano in the formal lounge. You’re exposed to girls with all different types of personalities. You had imagined they would be more similar, considering you were all joining the same sorority house, but in all honesty you couldn’t be more different from each other. Some girls go out every single night, some girls never do, and others have found a balance. Your sisters all have different opinions, habits, dietary restrictions, and ways of communicating, but you’re tied with some invisible bond of sisterhood; one that is unparalleled in any other situation on the planet. (With the exception of The Bachelor, but they’re all competing for the same boy, which is a recipe for disaster and quite entertaining drama)

You will never go hungry. Ever. With personal cooks and a pastry chef, you eat gourmet meals with fruit-infused water. Desserts range from German chocolate cake to Oreo pie to cookie cups. And if that doesn’t work for you, dip some strawberries in the Nutella that is always around.

You are never, ever alone. You can try your hardest to escape people but you will always be studying, sleeping, eating, showering, and brushing your teeth with other girls. Your hallway is an easy catwalk where your outfits can be evaluated by girls in every room, your backyard is a place to tan, and your sidewalk leads to your running route. You may never be alone, but you will not want to have it any other way. The talkative or silent company is something you quickly begin to depend on.

So I would like to say thank you to everyone, because in this first week I have already confided in, and made memories with many of you, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of this year has in store.