Before I started my freshman year at Montclair State two years ago, the thought of joining a sorority in college never even crossed my mind, to be completely honest. I just wanted to focus on classes for the time being, get used to college life as opposed to the much-easier high school life, and not have to worry about any other serious commitments besides school itself. Being in a sorority didn’t really seem like a big deal to me, and I never would have defined myself as fitting the image of a “typical sorority girl.”

Writing this, now, as a junior at MSU, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that there’s actually no such thing as a “typical sorority girl” at all. No matter who you are, or where you come from, joining a sorority isn’t about fitting an image, or changing parts of yourself to fit in with everyone else. It’s about being a part of a group of women who you know would be there for you no matter what, creating everlasting bonds and friendships, being involved, and leaving your mark on campus, someway, somehow.

I remember seeing sisters walking around campus with Greek letters embroidered on their bags and the back of their rain jackets. What struck me wasn’t the lettered clothing, though; what really caught my attention were the people wearing them.

As soon as I began to see the relationship these girls had with one another around campus, I immediately wanted to be a part of that. I have three younger sisters of my own at home, and growing up with sisters was always something that I’ve loved and cherished. When I think of home, I think of my sisters; as Montclair State became my second home, I knew I needed sisterhood there too.

I’m not really a risk-taker to begin with, but I have to say, the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever done in my entire life was prepare myself for recruitment. What if the sorority I wanted so badly to be a part of, didn’t like me? What if these girls aren’t what they appear to be all around campus? Millions of fears ran through my head as I prepared myself for what I thought was going to be the hardest three days of my entire life.

Boy, was I wrong. The second I began talking to sisters, I felt completely comfortable. I knew from the get-go that I wanted to be a sister of Sigma Delta Tau right then. From the conversations that flowed like I had known these girls forever, to the common interests we all shared, I knew that I had found my home away from home, the one I never thought I was even missing.

Being a sister of SDT has brought more laughs, happiness, and opportunity into my life over these past two years than I could’ve ever imagined. To be able to say that I not only have sisters to rely on for anything, but that I’m constantly able to give back in some way, is one of the most rewarding feelings. Just last semester, thanks to our amazing VP of Philanthropy, we were able to raise about $17,000 just for, Prevent Child Abuse America. Between volunteering, spending time with my best friends at sisterhood events, and just always having someone to meet up with for lunch in the student center, I don’t know how else I’d be spending my time if Sigma Delta Tau wasn’t a part of my life.

When people find out I’m in a sorority, they ask me how the parties are, or which fraternity I’m closest with, or what we even do around campus. They ask me why being in a sorority is “such a big deal.”

And what do I tell them?

My sorority has made me a better person, a better volunteer, a better student, and more importantly, an even better friend than I ever was before.