If you asked me a year ago--or even a month before formal recruitment--that I would consider a sorority, I would have called you crazy. I would have told you I wasn't spoiled, or stuck up, or even wealthy enough to "buy my friends." Greek life was a concept I never wanted to associate with.
Little did I know that joining a sorority would be the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Before recruitment, I was a girl who didn't know what she wanted to do with her life. I didn't have a game plan. There were many things I considered doing other than Greek life: Spanish club, writing club, art club...anything but a sorority. None of them worked out. It just didn't feel right. And then, one day, my (absolutely wonderful) roommate and I decided to rush. Needless to say, we were skeptical. She and I have known each other for eight years, and we never thought we would even consider joining one. When she proposed the idea to me, I shot it down almost immediately. And then, weeks went by where I really didn't meet any new people. That's when the thought of Greek life crept up on me more and more. I signed up for formal recruitment one week before it started.
And then I found them--my new sisters. On day one, two and three, I met amazing women from all different walks of life. Day three was far more special, because I found where I belong. The funny thing is, there was no "getting used" to any of my new sisters. No awkward introductions. I was myself immediately. I laughed, smiled, joked with ease. It was as if I knew all of them for years. Bid-night was a rare, beautiful night where I felt immense joy. Then came chapter, new member meetings, initiation-- every single moment was eye-opening. It never felt forced. It just felt right.
On Big/Little reveal night, my Big and I immediately clicked. I found the woman who has continued to stick by my side through everything. It was so hard making connections in high school, so going from a small group of friends to about 90-something girls I would do anything for...it is unlike anything I have ever felt before.
Sorority life is so much more than you think. It's not just the amazing networking, the philanthropy events, or even all of the new closets you get to pick from; it's the phenomenal things you learn. Not only do you learn about yourself, you learn to appreciate other people, other cultures and other humans. Being apart of a sorority is like discovering new music over and over again.
Being apart of a sorority is like falling in love every single day, knowing that you have a sisterhood to anchor you. It's a support system through thick and thin.
Or, as they most famously say, "It's not just four years, it's for life."