Have you ever wondered where your life would be if you made different choices in your life? Choices that may consist of going to the gym before Formal Fall Recruitment or remembering the chapter where you were going to spend the next four years of your life? Bid day definitely made me reconsider my life choices because running for my life and following a bunch of random girls went completely down hill very fast. Excited as I was, I was still extremely out of shape and continued to run but realized that these random girls were not only my future sisters but they were going to make an impact in my life that was going to change it forever.
Joining the Greek Community at the University of Washington has been one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life. Growing up, the image of fraternities and sororities have been depicted by movies such as "Legally Blonde" or "The House Bunny" but having the opportunity to experience it first hand has allowed me to see the most beautiful and influential sides of them and have made me incredibly thankful for being a part of everything. Being in a sorority definitely has its ups and downs but for me, I have focused on the positives, how much impact it has made throughout my freshmen and sophomore year and the great amounts of happiness that it has brought into my life. I have learned more than I could imagine in my time at Delta Zeta and it will forever be one of the best and rewarding decisions I have made entering college.
1. Developing independence
College has taught me how to be a confident, determined and most importantly independent. I have become so independent after entering college, whether it is going to coffee shops to study, walking down to U Village to shop, or even going downtown to run errands by myself, I absolutely love it and it makes me feel wonderful knowing I do not have to depend on others to make myself happy.
2. Sisters who have will become your best friends and one day, your bridesmaids.
Delta Zeta has blessed me with so many intelligent, bright, beautiful and weird sisters that became the most important people in my life. They talk to me through my roughest times, laugh with me during the happiest and cry with me through the saddest. The amount of respect and love I have for these individuals will always hold a special place in my heart and they will always be my number ones, my homies, and most importantly my best friends.
3. Never feeling alone – ever.
In college there will definitely be times where you feel alone. The great thing about being in a chapter is that you never will feel like that. This is a feeling that scares me the most, but every time I have ever felt alone or scared my sisters have comforted me all the way. It's crazy because they always know if something happens to me or if I am having a bad day and they put so much effort into making me happier or cheering me up. I am truly blessed with a chapter that cares so much about me and that will never make me feel alone in this big big big world.
4. Learning from your mistakes – the millions that we tend to make.
We make mistakes all of the time, we are human beings and we definitely are not perfect in any shape or form. I have made so many mistakes in the past year and my sisters have always been there to help me learn from them and transform them into motivating myself and pushing myself to do better. Another reason why I absolutely love them to pieces!
5. Living in a movie – and next to frats.
On Greek Row, in the middle of a hot summer day you will hear music, loud music. When you walk outside there will be people throwing footballs, volleyballs, any type of ball actually, and in this very moment you will feel like you are in a typical college movie and the feeling is amazing. It really is the best feeling ever and you’ll love everything about it, trust me.
6. Never walking alone to class unless you have class super early or extremely late.
First of all, morning classes were never for me and will never be in the near and distant future. Walking to class with one of your sisters is always an enjoyable moment because for one, you don’t have to look down when you walk to class, and two, you can catch up with your sister and see what they have been up to! How great is that, the best of both worlds, right?
7. Always having something to do and someone to do it with.
One of my favorite parts of being in a sorority is being able to go to other chapter philanthropies. Activities like flag football, dodge ball, even jousting are in the events that are put on. It is a great way to get to know other chapters and an extremely fun study break! The best part of going to these events is that your sisters are always willing to go, even with a simple "please" or "let's go," it's great.
8. Trying new, crazy and weird thing.
Having 100+ sisters is a bonus when you have nothing to do but you want to do something crazy at the same time. One of my sisters will almost always go down to the Ave with me to grab bubble tea, go across the street to play volleyball or even run to Green Lake just to see how beautiful it is. Regardless of the activity or craving, I love having someone always down to go with me and I think that is what true friendship is all about.
9. There will always be that one person who is extremely good at chemistry.
College is hard and academically it is terrifying but being in a chapter full of intelligent, outgoing and bright ladies is definitely a bonus when it comes to taking hard classes. In the chapter, all of the girls study different things therefore you will be able to find a group that is taking the same chemistry 142 class with you during that quarter. The benefit of being in the house is being able to run down the hall or downstairs to ask your sister how to do a problem or if she has done the homework. Most of the time they help and the other parts of the time, they are struggling too but two is better than one right?
10. Coming home will always feel like home.
For many of us we are leaving home to attend college and to move into a house with a hundred plus girls with a hundred plus personalities. People ask me how I do it all the time and I simply tell them that it is not easy but it is not hard either. Coming home from a long day of school, work, or volunteering I am always greeted with "Hey Julia" or "How is your day going Jules" and these comments are the reasons why I love my sisters and my chapter so much. I have truly found a home away from home and would never trade this feeling for anything in the entire world.
I love you baby turts, to the moon and all the way back.
