This past weekend marked the first formal recruitment of my time in Sigma Sigma Sigma at VCU. It also marked the long-awaited concept of me being in a sorority finally hitting me… Yes, it only took over a year and a half for the realization to hit that I, Taylor Carey, was in a sorority. The very thing that made me cringe as a young girl as I watched college romcoms and young adult tv shows solidifying the stereotypes of American higher education. Not to mention I am the literal Vice President of this chapter and live with and around sisters, but recruitment is what made it real for some strange reason.
However, once I got past the initial shock and realization of my current position physically and mentally, I was thrown into a period of extreme self-reflection as I lay in bed after the first day of formal recruitment. I looked around. I saw my Sigma wall with pictures, composites and other nostalgic items from my nearly two years in the chapter hanging from bright purple clips near my window. I saw my recruitment name tag I was wearing all day with “Taylor Vice President of Operations” written in beautiful cursive lettering over a black background on my nightstand. I saw my outfit laid out for the next day with the cute baby tee we would all be wearing within the next eight hours along with the leather bottoms I bought specifically for the long-awaited weekend. I thought of spring break coming up and how I was going to Cancun with over ten of my sisters within the next two weeks which felt like lightyears away. I thought of my big, my twin, my future littles and how fast my time is moving in the chapter as well as at VCU. I thought of the diversity of Sigma and how proud I was to be a part of something so impactful here on campus. Overall, I thought of how much being in Sigma has changed my life for the better and how it has truly made me grow as a person, student, friend and sister.
All in all my journey as a sister, leader, VP, chair holder, friend and family member in this chapter has shown me that life can be defined as a constant self-expression evolution. I went from being the poster child of Greek Life hate to becoming a heavily involved leader in it, gaining 60+ friends in the process. I work with sisters, I live with sisters, I go to class with sisters, I make important decisions with sisters, I travel with sisters, I grow with sisters and I love with my sisters. All things I never would have been able to do if I did not take that leap and sign up for recruitment in Fall 2020. If you are thinking about it, do it! Whether this pertains to rushing, dating, school, work, relationships or anything! Who knows where you will end up, who you will meet and how you will grow! Everything in life is at the hands of an open mind and you are only a mindset away from the best decision you have ever made.