I came to college with an open mind and high hopes of a fresh start, but if you asked me then, there was no chance I’d be joining a sorority come Spring.
Growing up with the typical stereotype of a sorority girl in mind, I felt confident I was better off marching to the beat of my own drum. As I made my way through first semester, I found myself randomly meeting a variety of incredibly friendly, older girls who had no obligation to give me the time of day, but did anyway. Sooner or later, I discovered that most of these girls were in sororities. My Greek life barrier slowly began crumbling as I realized I had fallen into the trap of an age-old stereotype of the typical sorority girl, and that was the moment I decided to sign-up for recruitment. Little did I know, I had just made the best decision of my college career.
I won’t lie, going through recruitment as a potential new member was one of the most brutal processes I have ever experienced, and I think most girls would agree. The week was filled with uncomfortable shoes, long days, constant anxiety and hard conversations. I remember wondering how the outcome could possibly be worth the draining experience. But when I finally made it to the last round, I got a glimpse of what my future would hold. Like putting in place the last piece of an impossible puzzle, I realized I had found my new home amongst one hundred incredible sisters.
It definitely doesn’t all happen at once. There is always some awkwardness that comes along with joining something new. As John Green’s famous quote reads: “… I fell in love the way you fall asleep. Slowly, and not all at once.” That’s exactly how it happened for me. Shortly after bid day I remember crowding into an apartment with my pledge class. We sat cuddled up on the living room floor talking about anything and everything as if we had been friends our whole life. Girls had said continuously throughout recruitment that we would end up where we belonged. At the time I thought it was cliché, but in that moment, I knew they had been right after all. I now have one hundred girls to call family because that’s exactly what they are. Looking back on it now, I am so incredibly grateful that I put aside my prejudices and my hesitations. I am part of something incredible, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.