The best time of the year has finally come...initiation for our new Alpha Xi Delta's. This week we officially welcomed them into the sisterhood that has given us so much, and I am so excited for them to be my forever sisters at last. However...this year I can't help but feel sad as initiation comes and goes because it's one of so many "lasts" that I've already had this semester.

This is my final year as an active sister of Alpha Xi Delta, and my last semester getting to do all of these things with the women who have shaped my life so much in the past four years. The closer I get to December, the more afraid I become of what the future holds and the more sad I feel when I think about having to do everything with my sisters..for the last time.

It's my last time standing on the inside of recruitment room anxiously awaiting the arrival of our potential new sisters, my last time going to a big/little retreat and seeing all of our new families form bonds that will last a lifetime, my last time staying up way too late telling stories and laughing till our stomach hurts about the time Kenzie said "white chocolate" on stage in the homecoming pageant, and my last time seeing our new members finally initiate into the place that I have called home during my college years.

But with all of these "lasts" that I'm having, I can't help but look on my years as an Alpha Xi Delta and feel so happy and thankful for everything it has given me. I guess that's why I'm writing this article...as a thank you and a tribute to my beautiful sisters who have continuously inspired me to be my best self. I can't count the times that they picked me up when I had completely fallen to pieces. The days when they made me feel like I could accomplish anything when I felt like I was never going to achieve my dreams. And the times they made me laugh until I was screaming (yes, screaming) when I was minutes away from crying.

The thank you's that I owe them, are essentially infinite.

I owe one to my big, for believing in me...when I didn't believe in myself, for supporting all of my decisions (even when they were the absolute worst), and for reminding me that everything will work out in the end.

To my little for inspiring me to be my best self, for letting me obsess over her and mother her relentlessly, and for bringing endless love and laughter into our family (even though she didn't necessarily lol with us).

To my twin for becoming my best friend. For the thousands of times she has listened to me rant, cry, laugh, stress, or tell "your mom" jokes. And for not only helping me through this crazy time that is college, but for making it a time that I never want to forget.

To my pledge class for going through all of it with me. For standing by me when I couldn't stand alone, and for always being willing to engage in the most reckless of shenanigans. There is no one that I would have rather gone through college with then those women.

To my president, for being my lifeline. I thank God for bringing us together in exec so that you could keep me sane and I could keep you laughing. Man am I proud to have stood next to an amazing woman like you for this past year.

To my swole sister, for keeping me motivated and positive when I was feeling lazy and negative about life. I can't thank you enough for being the sunshine that I needed when I was just about ready to give up.

To those who came before me, for welcoming me into the sisterhood that I had no idea would impact me the way that it did. All I knew starting out is that I wanted to grow up and be just like the successful, charismatic, and beautiful women that I met in the recruitment rooms. And here I am four years later, I have no idea if I reached that goal, but I know that I have grown in ways that I never imagined possible.

To those who will come after me, for agreeing to take on everything that Alpha Xi Delta has to offer you. I hope that you are ready for the best four years of your life.

It will not always be easy, and it will not always be fun. It will push to your limits, but that just might be a good thing. I hope that you have found the women that you want to go through all of it with. Women who make you want to do better, be better, and just be you. I hope that you know that you have unwavering support, friendship, and love coming your way. And I hope that you find a comfort and a home in everything that Alpha Xi Delta has to offer.