This past summer, I worked at a summer camp full of girls. I loved being with all of my friends and the sweetest campers, but I missed my alone time. I consider myself an extroverted individual, but sometimes we all need that personal space to unwind and recharge. When my summer was coming to an end and I found myself as well as my campers noticing we had a few days left I realized that I would be doing the same thing all over again but this time it would be in a different setting. When I came back to Raleigh I was excited to be back, but I could not stop the racing thoughts in my mind that had to do with living in a house with forty girls. That’s right, forty (4-0) girls. I could not stop considering every negative event that even had the possibility of happening because I was so overwhelmed that I would not be able to have the one thing I wanted most this summer while away. I realized I was being dramatic once I talked to my mom because this was a privilege I needed to recognize, yet I was treating it as a burden.
Flash forward to move-in, and my mind was in a million different directions. I had just gotten back from some much-needed family time, and I was excited. I got to reunite with my girls and I started to appreciate my time with them a lot more than I had thought I would. I loved these girls so much and I was so grateful that my sorority sisters were welcoming me with such open arms. I needed that more than they could ever realize because the anxiety within me was trying so hard not to be stressed out. I put on my brave face with my dad, moved all of my stuff in, and spent quality time with the girls that mean so much to me.
Thinking about all of this now about five weeks into the semester, and I am not going to lie, sometimes I still do get overwhelmed, tired, and anxious. It can be all of those things and some days you won’t even recognize them, but some days you just do. This is not a diss to anyone or sororities in general, just an understanding that I’ve realized. I love spending time with my in-house girls and we do almost anything and everything with each other it is just understanding the balance that you need to be a happy human being when you live in such a fun yet sometimes chaotic environment. I could go on and on about living in a sorority house and blab about my own experiences, but what I want people to take away from this is that you need to do what makes you happy while trying to live out your best college years. For me, that was finding what I was passionate about in and out of my classes. I knew that when I moved into my dorm freshman year that I wanted to join a sorority. I knew that there would be challenges with it like branching out and finding my group, but I could not have been happier with my decisions.
In the end, what I learned from my experience is that sometimes we have to find that balance in our lives to understand ourselves more. I saw that what I needed was to not be anxious about living in a house with forty girls but to comprehend my mental health. I saw that I do in fact enjoy people’s company but I also enjoy having my alone time and chilling out in my room. Everyone is different, and everyone deals with their own struggles in different ways. Sometimes the best thing you can do is evaluate yourself and move on from there. Whether it be taking time to do something you enjoy, or spend some time with yourself, always know that it is okay to do what you need.