Being a big sister in a sorority is amazing. It’s one of the best feelings in the world because you not only get to be a mentor and a best friend to someone, but also a confidante, a cool mom, an academic advisor, a social instigator and a match maker. Right now you are probably wondering what the downside is and I’m here to tell you: there is none. Even with the hours spent crafting, the late nights of texting and calling, the small fights over who gets the last piece of pizza and the exhaustion of trying to find a cute theme for reveal, the possible negative aspects become something full of positivity and potential character building. Despite the already known aspects of being a big, I’m here to tell you about the deep, dark secrets that only those of us who have gone through the whole process first-hand can truly understand. I’m hoping that this will also serve as a guide for those of you who are preparing to take a little in the future, so that you can know what to expect and how becoming a big sister will shape you as a woman and as a person.
1. You Learn To Get Crafty Real Quick.
If you are like Squidward and I, you do not have a knack for visual elements, painting or crafting in general. However, you would do anything for your little and in the process, you learn how to paint straighter lines, use a lot more glitter and express yourself on a canvas in ways that were unheard of before. Taking a little forces you to be creative and think outside of the box. When creating paintings, painting sorority letters, thinking up ideas for a double stitch or even just throwing some glitter on her spoils day basket, you learn how to be flexible, artistic and innovative.
2. You Learn How To Run On Only A Few Hours of Sleep
This gif of Stewie is a little bit overexaggerative, but after you’ve stayed up until 3 AM adding the finishing touches to your reveal theme, handmade your outfits for you and your sorority fam and also managed to make it to your 8 AM, you have mastered the art of surviving on only a few hours of sleep. This is a good skill to have because once you get out in the real world, you will most likely have to stay late at work, finish up projects that require your full attention and have late nights of solo work.
3. You Learn To Become Sefless.
Through becoming a big sister, you learn that your little’s needs come before your own, or at least are equal in importance. You are now a mentor and someone for them to confide in. You are a shoulder to cry on, someone who will just listen and someone who will give bomb advice whether it be about boys, school, restaraunts to go to or mental health and wellness.
4. You Find Yourself Through Helping Your Little.
While helping your little find who they are and sticking with them through the journey of becoming a confident woman, you too will find yourself and realize your strengths. Through helping her, you will be more confident in your abilities, you will know that you can be there for her when she needs you and you can bask in the glory of being someone’s go to person when they need a shoulder to cry on.
5. You Get To Watch This Person Grow.
One of the most humbling parts of being a big is being able to watch your little grow from a confused new member of your sorority, trying to figure out college and life into a beautiful, talented and amazing woman who will accpmplish all of her goals and dreams (with a little bit of help from you).
All jokes aside, it’s not enough to say that being a big is one of the best experiences you will go through in college, but also in life. Being a big sister means learning how to put others above yourself, how to guide someone in the right direction and how to allow someone to grow and thrive. Despite the tireless hours, it’s something that is lifechanging and that will benefit you as a person, as you find new relationships with others and as you continue to grow and explore what we call life.
