Throughout my life, I have played just about every sport at some time and place. Softball, golf, cheer, soccer, swimming, etc. I have done just about all of it. When I headed off to college, I didn't know what I would do with all of my free time without having practice every day. I shuffled around during welcome week, trying to find a club sport to join or any kind of club for that matter, but I couldn't really find anything. I passed all of the sororities at orientation and I just put them in the back of my mind. I thought to myself, "Yeah, I'll never have to stoop low enough to pay for my friends."

Girl, was I wrong.

I spent my freshman year sitting in my dorm with more free time than I could have ever imagined. I spent a good chunk of my time studying, but I still felt like something was missing. I tried to join intramural teams, but I couldn't find a team that was looking for a single player. My friends and I decided to form a dodgeball team and we were CRUSHED by all of the sorority teams. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. I envied them.

My spring semester of freshman year, I met a sorority girl that I instantly clicked with. We talked about recruitment and I told her the kinds of things I was interested in doing while in college and she highly recommended joining a sorority. I wasn't sure about all of the crazy requirements that some sororities have, but then she explained that its really what you make it.

I decided to rush my fall semester of sophomore year. On the very first day, at the very first house, I was welcomed inside by my friend I had met the previous spring semester. We were not paired together, it just happened. As soon as I sat down in that house, I knew I was home.

You see, the girls in my sorority could never have a price placed on them. My sorority welcomed every single girl with open arms and I never had to pretend like I was someone else. I joined all of the intramural teams I had time for, took on several leadership positions, and I made sure every single minute of my spare time was put back into that organization. I took the time to get to know almost every single active member of that chapter. By the end of my first semester in my sorority, I could name my entire pledge class and the pledge class above me.

These girls are my home away from home. Now that I have moved on and I am no longer a part of that chapter, I would easily pay hundreds of dollars just to have one more softball game or one more step team practice or one more chapter meeting. I would have never imagined I would get so attached to something I used to laugh at and say I would never be a part of. My sorority provided me with something that no other organization at my school could provide. Love.

If you're questioning if you're really getting the most out of college, go through sorority recruitment. Unsure about joining? Go for it anyway. If you decide you don't like it, give it a little while to get used to. Those girls want to be your friend and want you to feel the same way they do every time they walk in that house. Even though you can only join one, you will more than likely make a new friend or see a familiar face as soon as you walk into that house. Just go for it. You may have a life changing experience like I did and crave just five more minutes with those girls that you can never get back.

ALAM forever, my sweet Phi Gamma. You'll always be in my heart and my true home.