Every year the week before Fall recruitment my sorority does something called "Spirit Week". During this week is where we basically have a recruitment bootcamp and we learn how to talk to PNMs, learn what not to say, learn more about our chapter, etc. We have different dress up days and it is a fun time. One of the main benefits of our bootcamp, though, is it's a time where you can meet people you otherwise would not have normally gravitated towards. This past year our spirit week was over Zoom (Covid things). During one call we were focusing on our chapter's sisterhood and what it meant to each of us individually. I don't know how other chapters do it, but a few of our girls give their testimonies on how Pi Phi has shaped them into the women they are today. Once we were done practicing, the floor way opened to everyone else to share their stories or their "Why Pi Phi". During one of these testimonies, one of my sorority sisters talked about "growing where her feet were planted". This quote really spoke to me because I joined Pi Phi in Spring of 2020 right before the world shut down. This Zoom call really stands out as one of my favorite Pi Phi memories and gave me reassurance on why I stayed during last summer that was full of doubt, heartache, and stress.

Anyways, I have been going through a hard time recently with my personal life. I know that it will be okay in the end, but it is hard to remember that while you're going through it. I am someone who believes that everything happens for a reason and I will learn a valuable lesson from these things one day, but as of right now it kind of sucks. I often go back to this phrase, though, "grow where you are planted" whenever I am feeling like I have no idea where I am going in life, I have no idea where I am going to end up, or if I am going through something in my personal life. This phrase means so much to me because it reminds me that no matter what happens that is what was meant to be for me. Instead of wishing for a different outcome, I can work on flourishing in the position I am in and take advantage of the opportunities I am given. Everyone's story is different and everyone chooses to take a different path. We all go through hard times whether it has to do with our school, social life, or our family lives. Some solutions are easier than others, but one solution that seems to remain constant for me is to grow where I am planted.