Just like most people going through Greek recruitment, I wanted to find a group of sisters that would always love, support, and push me to become the best version of myself. In 2014, I ran down the hill to the my new Chi Omega sisters at Centenary College of Louisiana. I never thought that I would be a "sorority girl," but all of the wonderful women at Centenary broke all of the stereotypes and showed me just what being a sorority woman was all about. There are a lot of things in Iota Gamma that I am thankful for.
1. My sisters are so down to earth.
These girls are so grounded and I am incredibly thankful for that. The stereotype that most sorority girls are superficial definitely does not apply to the 60ish women that I'm surrounded by. They never fail to be my greatest support system and I am so grateful to be blessed by them.
2. Everyone has their own personality.
Ranging from the sweetest girls to sassholes (affectionately), all of these girls are so different. Oddly enough, all of our personalities work well together. All of the diverse individuals together are what make Iota Gamma so strong and unique.
3. These women are so genuine.
When I was going through rush, I was so impressed with how genuine everyone was. I actually had a girl say "this process is just as awkward for us as it is for you" and I think that was one of the deciding factors in choosing cardinal & straw. They were completely themselves instead of the person they thought everyone would love, and it just so happened that the girls being themselves was what I loved.
4. Chi O at Centenary gives you more opportunities for leadership.
I was fortunate enough to be elected to a position on executive council the second semester of my sophomore year. My position entails being able to enforce rules, which is definitely not a personality trait that I really possessed before election. After seeing that the other actives saw something in me that I didn't see in myself, I knew that I was capable of doing such cool things and I grew so much.
5. We push each other to do our best.
I am definitely a person that can lose motivation. After the routine of going to classes that are sometimes beyond my grasp gets old, my sisters are always there to encourage me to do my best, and good grades will follow.
6. Our alum are wonderful.
Honestly, these women rock. They're from all of the country, but they have such a heart for Chi Omega that they decided to give back and be our fearless leaders. They also happen to be really sassy, so it makes me love them even more.
7. We have the opportunity to do a lot of community service in Shreveport.
Because Chi Omega focuses on giving back, we have so many chances to do things both for our philanthropy, Make A Wish, and local nonprofits. Even though getting up super early on weekends isn't the most fun thing ever, getting to spend time with my sisters while making Shreveport a better place is so worth it.
8. We share the same core values.
Loyalty, trustworthiness, honesty....these are all some values that are important to every single one of us. No matter what our political or religious views are, we have a connection with each other because of what we believe in.
9. Bid day is basically Christmas in September.
Oh boy, there's nothing like bid day. After careful consideration, I'm pretty sure I like bid day more than my birthday. We get to meet a lot of young women that share our core values and know that Chi Omega is their home. We finally get to call them "sisters" and they can finally add Chi Omega to all of their social media bios;)
10. Every time I think about why I went Chi O at Centenary, I'm instantly reminded by the wonderful women surrounding me.
If I ever get discouraged by life, I can just look around and have 60 reasons to be happy. With the late nights watching movies at the Chi O house, the enormous amount of food consumed after events, the shared smiles and laughs, and just the overwhelming amount of love coming from my sisters, I know that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. We're not just sisters of purpose, we're sisters ON purpose.
Give 'em hell Iota Gamma, Go Chi O.
XOXO
