This year, I became a member of Alpha Delta Pi, but rushing alone was not an easy decision to come by. Since I also play lacrosse at Susuquhanna, I really was not sure how I would be able to balance my sorority life with my crazy athletic schedule. On the other hand, I also was not sure if I would even be allowed to do both, but I have never been happier that I decided to rush. After I had a wonderful experience at Passport, which was an event that gave us just a little taste about what recruitment would be like, I just couldn't wait until it actually came time to rush. Rush week brought so much excitement and nerves, but it was definitely a week I will never forget. I love being in a sorority, and I really think anyone considering rushing should continue reading, and get some insight on what being in a sorority has done for me.

For one thing, I love the fact that I have so many loving, beautiful sisters by my side. I am a very family-oriented individual, and I have three sisters at home. Leaving them was particularly difficult, but after recently gaining 40 new sisters, I feel more at home now that I did in the beginning of the year. It is wonderful to know that I have such a strong support system, especially when times get tough or stressful. If I need someone to lean on, or I need a shoulder to cry on, I know my sisters will always have my back.

Secondly, we have done so many fun things together, and have really gotten so close! Throughout all of the sisterhoods and social events, I have definitely formed such a strong bond with my sisters, and have loved every minute of it. Whenever we are together, there is never a dull moment, and I always catch myself smiling, laughing, or doing both! We could just be sitting in a room talking, and it would end up being the brightest moment of my day. If I am stressed about something, such as school work or lacrosse, I know that the sisterhood that night will allow me to completely forget everything negative going on in my life. Sharing these wonderful times, and creating beautiful memories are now some of the brightest moments of my college experience, further exemplifying why I couldn't be happier that I joined a sorority.

Being in a sorority has given me the opportunity to learn things about myself that I had not known before. I learned that I am a much more outgoing person that I originally thought coming into college, and that expressing who I really am is a good thing. I used to be nervous to share my complete self with other, but it now comes second nature to me. My sisters have taught me a lot about accepting myself and my flaws, and to be completely comfortable in my own skin. These are things that I will continue to work on, and I am beyond grateful that I have learned them.

I love the fact that being in a sorority allows me to expand beyond the walls of Susuquehanna and reach out to the community as well. We are required to do a certain amount of service hours, which gives us the opportunity to help others in various different ways as well as our national philanthropy, The Ronald McDonald House. Helping others leaves me feeling wonderful, and it's a much more rewarding sense of accomplishment received after the project is complete.

My sisters in ADPI are completely supportive of each other and love that we are all so involved in other things! Whenever they hear that a sister has a sports game, musical performance, or academic presentation, they make an extreme effort to be there. This made me feel so much better about juggling a sport and a sorority, and for those of you on the fence about it, your sisters will always be your biggest support system! This goes for college in general: if you are overly stressed about a class, nothing feels better than being supported by a group of sisters that love you.

One of my favorite things about being in a sorority is having my own family within the sorority. The bond I share with my big, my G big, my twin, and the rest of my family is unlike any other, and it adds an additional element of closeness to the already tightly knit group. We have our own little get-togethers outside of the scheduled sorority events, which is super nice when you feel the need to do something more quiet and relaxed. I love being able to talk to them about absolutely anything, and we always have a great time together. It truly is like having a second family...or technically, third family, for you and your entire sorority really are like one big family (which is a point I cannot stress enough).

I love being able to have so many people to say hi to walking to class every day! There is not a walk that I take in which I don't see a sister, and the smiles we exchange really does brighten my day. It's the little things that truly make even the worst days ten times better, like when a sister comes up to me and asks me how I am and pulls me in for a welcoming hug. On days where we are all wearing letters or pin attire, it's easy to spot my sisters from afar, in which case they make it a point to call my name across campus. This may seem like a minor thing, but it really does make the sun shine brighter, the birds chirp louder, and my smile grow broader.

Finally, wearing letters really makes me feel like I am home. When I wear the letters, and know that they selected me to wear them, I really feel like I belong. On days when we all match, our unity as a sisterhood is made public to the entire campus, and I feel like a superstar. It reminds me that I am a part of something much bigger and better than myself. It really brings to light the most important thing to me about being in a sorority, and that is the unbreakable bond of sisterhood. Representing something brings about a feeling that is irreplaceable, and I would not trade it for anything. I know that I am new to the sisterhood, but I am incredibly excited for the years to come.