From army greens to comfort colors tees.
Yes, we exist.
Most of the time we're basic srat-stars who loves to craft and scroll through Old Row just as much as everyone else. Not to say that every sorority woman is like this, but that's how I am. However, we might wake up before dawn for PT, attend military science lab regularly, and run around from class to class on campus in our uniforms. We maintain professional bearing, representing the United States military whether in the guard or in ROTC, as well as our sorority letters. Sounds like big boots to fill, right?
My sisters think I'm way cooler than I actually am.
"Do you guys shoot guns?" I mean, sometimes. "Is PT hard?" Also sometimes depending on the amount of Chick-fil-A I may or may not have consumed the night before. "Are there a lot of girls?" Not a chance, the few and the proud, baby. My sisters give me way to much credit and think I'm tougher than I actually am. I'm thankful I can inspire them to live up to their highest potential, even when I feel I may not be doing the same. My sisters are my source of strength and motivation and push me to be better and do better, in and out of uniform.
Your Army friends will give you major shiz.
I'll be honest, being a sorority girl in the military gets you a lot of flack, but it comes with the territory. From comments on your instagram page like "No gang signs in uniform" when you throw what you know, to your male friends asking if you you've practiced your clapping and cheering for the day (ugh). Little do they know cheering is actually really fun and yes, bid day is one of my favorite holidays and i'm not ashamed to admit it. But hey, who ends up begging to be taken to a date party or formal?
I really don't know how I do it, but I do.
It's a struggle to balance both lives, most of the time I fly by the seat of my yoga pants. I know I have my sisters and friends to lean on, but it really does get hard to take time for myself. I just pray that one day when I (hopefully) graduate as a Nurse Corps Officer in the US Army and an alumna of Alpha Xi Delta Iota Chapter, all my hard work will be worth it. I want to further my chapter by being an upstanding sister, make the Army better by being a competent nurse and a confident officer, and become a stronger person by challenging myself each day to represent both organizations that I am a part of.
I've made the best friends in the world.
I never thought I'd join the Army, much less a sorority, but I'm thankful that I've done both. I never would have pictured making my sorority's national page (being in uniform might I add), as well as the love I received from my sisters. Knowing I have two organizations that push me to be the best that I can be is an indescribable feeling. Nothing compares to having the opportunity to represent both Alpha Xi Delta and the Army, and I'm grateful for the relationships I have made through both. TFJ and Army Strong!