As a senior in high school preparing to go to college, I knew I for sure did not want to be a part of Greek life. I had seen enough movies and TV shows to know Greek life definitely wasn't for me. When I moved on campus to the University of Tampa in the fall, all freshman were required to go to a certain number of meetings during orientation about different clubs on campus. A friend of mine from high school was going to the meeting about Greek Life so I decided to join her since I hadn't met many people yet.
As I watched the presentation, I realized that so much of what I had seen in movies wasn't true. Greeks typically have the highest GPA's on campus and each organization holds a GPA requirement. Greeks also do a lot of community work in the Tampa area all year long. I realized during this meeting that I wanted to go through sorority recruitment. Even if I didn't find a sorority that fit me and my values, I would have had the experience.
The first day of recruitment, I went to every sorority and got a feel for what every sorority stood for and a basic overview of different activities they put on throughout the school year. The next two days I narrowed down my choices as I got to know the women of each sorority better. On preference day, I was between two sororities. One being Theta. That day I got to see ritual from both sororities and got to speak with a sister for over an hour.
When it was finally time to open our bids, I had my heart set on the other sorority I had gone to on preference day. When I opened my bid and saw that I had a bid from Theta, I felt crushed. But my amazing pi chi (a sorority sister who disaffiliates from her sorority to help us through the recruitment process) pulled me aside and unzipped her jacket and showed me she was a Theta. She told me to just go through the new member process and if it wasn't for me, I could choose to not be a part of the sorority.
But that night at the bid night celebration, I realized how wrong I was. I saw someone who I had become good friends with at the celebration and ran over to her and hugged her as we realized we were sisters now. I had never felt so comfortable and welcomed before and immediately saw a part of myself in every single sister.
When I called my mom to tell her which sorority I had gotten a bid from, she told me she had been looking at being a part of the Guardian ad Litem program here in Florida, which is one of Theta's philanthropies. I knew for sure at that moment that I had found my home.
Kappa Alpha Theta changed my life from the second I made the choice to join the sisterhood. I became a part of something bigger than myself with all of us sharing a common goal and similar values. I immediately became involved on campus and had so many doors open for me. I met people from all different sororities and fraternities and made life long friendships.
Theta challenged me to always be the best student I could be every semester with its high GPA requirement, as well as a positive member of our community with so many service opportunities.
Theta is my second home and second family. I became a part of my own Theta family as I got my big and took two littles who make me proud every day. I had sisters who I could cry with when I was sad, sisters to study with and sisters to go to the mall with. I can't put into words how much Theta truly changed me. I learned to become selfless, to become a better person and to always push myself to do better.
Even though I have graduated, Theta will never end. No matter where I go I will have sisters to welcome me with open arms and all of my Eta Tau sisters are just a phone call away.
Thank you to all my Eta Tau sisters for loving me unconditionally and for pushing me to be the best me. For instilling life long values and friendships that I could've never imagined. And for being my sisters. I love you all.
And shoutout to Bettie Locke for founding Kappa Alpha Theta and paving the way for all sororities to come. TLAM
