If someone were to tell my younger self that I would be living in a 20-person sorority house during my senior year of college, I would have laughed, shook my head, and called BS. I still remember the shock from almost every person – my mom, sisters, big, g-big, auntie-big, best friends – when I told them that’s what I was doing, and hell, I was even shocked myself. It still, to this day, surprises me sometimes, but I can wholeheartedly say that it was single-handedly the best decision I have made within my college years (besides my whole “I’m not gonna transfer” debacle).
Within my first three years, I stayed in the same, cute little townhouse where I made more memories than I can count. It was honestly an awesome setup of a college apartment, I loved my roommates, and it was next door to everything when it came to nightlife. I felt so comfortable and at home there. However, I realized that I wanted to (and frankly, needed to) branch out and experience something new for my final year.
One day, my bestie and I were chatting about our living situations for senior year, and she threw the idea out there of us living at our chapter house. It took me a second to take that in, as the thought of that was honestly pretty intimidating and I was visualizing what that might look like. But, after some thinking, we both decided to just go for it. Never in our lives would we be able to have a “sorority house” experience again.
All summer I remember thinking to myself, “OMG what did I just get myself into?” because let’s be real, jumping from having two roommates to nineteen is pretty wild. Still feeling wary but eager, I remember the joy I felt when I moved in. From girls coming in randomly to say hi and welcome, to spending hours with one of my best friends while she kept me company as I finished unpacking. It took me just one day to realize that I was going to love it.
Throughout the year, I’ve been able to get close with so many girls, despite us not really getting to know each other too well prior. I can genuinely say that some of my best friends now reside in that house, friends that I get the opportunity to see and hang out with literally 24/7. From blasting our conjoined get-ready playlist with my roommate down in room three, getting opinions on an outfit choice from my stylist in room seven, Sunday morning recaps as I bed rot with room ten, almost daily breakfast burrito indulgences to get in on with rooms four and five, clearing out the strawberries and Nutella with room two, to spontaneous dance parties in room nine, it’s the little things like that, that make me feel at home.
Now, you may be wondering, “What about the noise…?” Well, rest assured, it’s noisy as hell in that house. I mean, how can it not be? Sure, I miss being able to take a nap at any time of the day in peace and quiet, along with being able to actually get a solid night’s rest without melatonin, but I’ve genuinely gotten used to the chaos. If anything, the chaos is what makes it fun! Every single one of my roommates have different and unique personalities, those of whom I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know. We have the loud ones, the funny ones, the soft-spoken ones, the caretaker ones, the silly ones, and the all-of-the-above ones. Yes, it’s chaotic (you should see us when it’s someone’s birthday), but that’s simply what makes it work. Not a day has gone by where I’m not laughing my ass off due to something one of them just said or did, and I’m utterly grateful for that.
Something that comes with living with so many people – something I think others may not realize, especially if the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear “sorority house” is “fun, fun, fun” – is gaining a gigantic support system, for anything at all. If I cry, I receive hugs. When I’m anxious, I receive sound advice. When I’m stressed, I have people who will sit there and listen to me rant their ears off. I even aced an exam once and not only did the group chat blow up about it, they taped it on the wall for weeks. Gaining this many people that I not only get to be there for, but those who are constantly there for me is easily the best part about living there. It does not go unseen and it truly warms my heart.
I was always a gigantic homebody – when I’d go home for breaks, the thought of going back to Chico haunted me. That was up until this year, over Thanksgiving, when I caught myself actually missing Chico, merely because I missed hanging out with my roommates. They have truly, optimistically changed my perspective of this town for the better, and I’m glad.
It’s pretty safe to say that signing this lease and taking that jump was the best decision I could’ve made for myself for many more reasons than I listed. Ending off college this way and gaining such rich memories with these people brings me so much happiness and contentment that I can’t even begin to describe. I know for a fact that I will look back on all of my years, and living here with these people will be the absolute cherry on top of my entire college experience.
So, to all 19 of you, thank you and I love you. Though I’m the oldest and the grandma of the house, it is you all who I look up to and I can’t wait to see where life takes you when it’s your turn to flip the tassel. <3