When I first arrived at the University of Illinois, I was conflicted on whether Greek life would be right for me or not. On one hand, I wanted to have a sisterhood for life with a group of women who would have my back personally and professionally, and it just felt like one of those things that you couldn’t miss out on at a school like this one. But on the other, the idea of going through some of the horror stories I’d read about online fed my insecurities and doubts. The formidable financial costs aside, what if I just didn’t fit in? The culture shock of moving from California to Illinois already had me homesick and overwhelmed. Casting my doubts aside though, I marched into the RSO Fair, determined to see if meeting some real sorority women could help me make my choice. The choice I made there changed my life.
When I met the ladies of Delta Kappa Delta for the first time, I felt right at home almost immediately. They were warm, welcoming and nothing like the intimidating stereotypes I’d previously seen on TV. They told me their sxsterhood was based on diversity, service and academic excellence. A few weeks later, when I bumped into them again at a fundraiser, I knew I had to learn even more, so I decided to go through with the recruitment process.
Recruitment was a dream- no numbers, no stress and no worrying about what outfit to wear each day of rush. It was just us getting to know each other as humans and as friends in a dusty Lincoln Hall classroom. Midway through recruitment week, I’d made up my mind for sure and I would do whatever it took to call myself a sxster of Delta Kappa Delta.
Today, I’m proud to call myself the Vice President of Delta Kappa Delta. In my third semester as a sxster, I’ve made so many friends and professional connections that I would’ve never gotten to know otherwise. I’ve had an abundance of leadership opportunities that promoted my self-growth and most importantly, been able to make a real impact on the community both locally and globally.
The term “Multicultural South Asian Interest Service Sorority” and the motto “Sxsterhood Through Service” had admittedly not been something I fully understood when I first heard them. But now, I understand that there really is no greater gift than being able to use the privilege I have to make real, positive changes in the world around me. Our philanthropy is child abuse awareness and prevention and childhood education, and we embody that in every action we take.
To this day, I’ll never know how things might’ve gone had I chosen to go the more “traditional” greek-life route. But what I do know is that I’m proud to call myself a member of a rich 22 year tradition of woman who have chosen to build sxsterhood through service, to keep our spirits indomitable, to educate ourselves and others, and to celebrate our culture while doing it all.
If you’d like to learn more about Delta Kappa Delta, feel free to check out https://dkduiuc.wixsite.com/dkduiuc or email epsilon.dkdrecruitment@gmail.com!