Maybe it was the fact that it was my last recruitment, or maybe it was the heartfelt letters read by two sisters to each other. It might have even been the fact that everyone else in the room was crying. Whichever way you slice it, Preference left me an emotional wreck.

As I stood in front of my entire chapter plus 40 girls who could potentially become my sisters, I completely lost it. Tears running down my face, unable to even sing the duet I had sung countless times, I was so emotional, but that quickly turned into embarrassment when the song began and no words came out. My sister I was singing the duet with hugged me, and we attempted to finish the song together for the last time.

It was in this moment that I truly felt the most love from my sisters. As seniors we stood together and wept; this was our last Preference and our last time to recruit the people who would continue on our legacy in our house. It was both the first and the last time we would share this experience together as seniors. It just makes me think how truly blessed I have been these last two years. We’re not perfect, but we really do love each other and this house. I’ve never experienced so much support from a group before in my life. Thinking back to my sophomore year when I rushed, I knew I would make friends, but I did not know the extent to which these women would become my family, but this weekend I truly saw it.

My advice to all the new members is to make friends in your PC, go to everything, and make the most of your sorority experience. Go help build the Homecoming float and tryout for Greek Sing, hang out in Adelphi, and go to the library with your sisters. Meet new people so that by the time you get to the end of the semester you can name each and every sister. Be a big sister to someone and a friend to all, be there for someone (even if it’s just so you both don’t have to eat alone in the MU), craft for your big or craft for your little, take pictures, make memories, find your future bridesmaids. Do all these things because one day you’ll blink, and you’ll be a senior on your way to graduation. You’ll be sad knowing that each event that happens is your last one. I already know that I’ll be saying, “I can’t believe this is my last barn dance,” or, “how is this my last formal?” I’m going to bawl my eyes out at graduation, during senior wills, and at my last chapter meeting. So let’s make the most of our senior year with our sisters. Let’s save the best memories for last and take on senior year full force. I’ll be happy to know that this sisterhood is not four years: it’s for life. LICO.