As a loud and proud sister of the greatest sorority to ever exist, I feel no shame in bragging about one of the most rewarding decisions I've ever made. In the midst of welcoming so many new pandas into such a remarkable sisterhood, here's a few of the reasons why I, along with the other 100,000+ members, chose Alpha Omicron Pi to be our forever home.

1. They're all friendship material. From day one, I could tell that the women in the room would be the loyal friends that I'd always wanted, but never had. AOII's mission statement, "Women Enriched Through Lifelong Friendships," tells no lie. Through joining AOII, you create a bond with thousands of women, and those women will take you far in life. I knew when I walked into the first party of recruitment that the women of AOII would be in classes with me, would be in workplaces with me, and would be roommates, mentors, colleagues, and best friends.
2. Pandas are the cutest animal ever. They're big, fat, cuddly balls of harmlessness. How could anyone hate the only animal that has no natural enemies?
3. Their confidence radiates throughout the room. As soon as I walked in the door, they made me feel like I was already their sister. I felt so welcomed and so encouraged to be entirely myself. I didn't feel as if I needed to suck in, change my voice, or hide certain things about myself.
4. The women are both genuine and diverse. When I looked around the room, I saw a little bit of everything. Every kind of girl you could imagine stood there in that room with me. Here's the kicker though: they all stood out in the good way. AOII doesn't only search for the blonde girls or the rich girls, AOII searches for a light within every girl. Each girl in the room was so different from the girl next to her, yet so the same. It sounds weird, but it was heartwarming to see such a diverse group of women let all of their differences melt away, so that they can remain united under the same values.
5. Their smiles are real. You know how you can tell when someone is faking a smile, as opposed to when they are truly smiling? Yeah. Every girl in AOII made their smile contagious. All around the room, I saw joy. Their joy could be seen in their smiles, in their eyes, and in the little jump in their steps. Similarly, I could hear their joy. They would laugh with each other, cheer each other on, and even just hear their joy in their voices.
6. Their flower is beautiful. Roses are pretty, sure, but have you ever seen a Jacqueminot Rose? It's color is so fierce but so soft. It's a rare rose, and you can't find it at your everyday florist. This flower is bold, classy, and beautiful, just like the members of AOII.
7. Pearls and rubies are pretty too. Although the Ruby is the official jewel of the sorority, AOII's often accessorize with both rubies, pearls, and sometimes diamonds. Fun fact: all three are beautiful.
8. AOII's philanthropy is different. Most sororities' philanthropies are only about children. AOII focuses on both children and adults of all ages, with their official philanthropy being Arthritis Research. Little do people know, two thirds of people with arthritis are actually under the age of sixty-five. AOII's efforts help every age, rather than just focusing on one fraction of the population.
9. They actually care about philanthropy. Aside from Arthritis research, AOII established the Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation, which benefits both sisters and everyone else. In addition, AOII supports Adopt-a-Mile, Breast Cancer Awareness, Cardiac Awareness, Child Abuse Prevention and Support, Domestic Violence Prevention and Support, Habitat for Humanity, Help for the Homeless, Juvenile Diabetes, Ronald McDonald House, Soldiers' Angels Care Package Drives, Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and many more. Any woman in Alpha Omicron Pi is willing to pour her heart into anything that can help other people.
10. They're just plain fun. From the chants they yelled to the songs they sung, I could just tell that they knew how to have fun together. I felt like I could lay down on my stomach and do the worm, and they'd all get down and do it with me.
11. Red looks good on everyone. Cardinal, AOII's color, is just a good color. Who doesn't like red?
12. They're involved on campus. AOII's don't stop at just being a part of a sorority. They're parts of sports teams, they participate in intramurals, they join and lead other clubs and organizations, they hold positions in student government, and they volunteer with student outreach programs. The women of AOII desire to be bigger than just themselves, and they made that very clear to me as soon as I met them for the first time.
13. They're all the ideal "big." In the middle of my first party, I realized that I loved every girl in the room enough to call them my big. Fact: all PNMs fantasize about big/little from the moment they sign up for recruitment. They all want the perfect big/little relationship, just as I did last year. After every conversation I had, and after meeting everyone I possibly could, I realized that I would honestly be honored to call any girl in the sorority my big. By now, I've realize that my big and I were a match made in heaven, but I'm still so honored to call each girl my sister.
14. The sorority is VERY anti-hazing. Although I've never heard of any sorority hazing horror stories that weren't just rumors, I do still believe that it happens. AOII, however, enforces very strict hazing policies. This way, there's not even a chance that a new member will get mistreated (which is very calming to those PNMs who listen to all of the rumors about Greek life).
15. AOII's bi-laws keep its members classy. With alcohol policies, drug policies, hazing policies, risk management policies, and other policies geared towards maintaining both the safety and well-being of sisters, it's hard to stray too far from the path. Rather than focusing on the connotative meaning of "rules," I realized that AOII offers guidelines for its members to abide by. This holds each member accountable for reflecting a positive name upon the sorority as a whole. I've found myself being extra thankful for these policies throughout the last year, because I'd rather not disappoint myself (or my parents) with my stupid actions.
16. Their acceptance (see numbers 3-5). From the moment I stepped in the room full of AOIIs, I knew, without a doubt, that I could be myself. After a lifelong battle against being painfully shy and struggling with self-confidence, all I wanted was to find a home where I belonged. Not a home where I could pretend to belong, but a home where I could truly fit in. The women in AOII welcomed me with open arms, immediately showing me that they were my new home.

To all of the women that just found their home in Alpha Omicron Pi, congratulations and welcome to our amazing sisterhood. To all of the women that just worked their tails off during recruitment, now you know that all of your hard work paid off. To all AOII Alumnae, thank you for your influential part in each chapter of this sorority. I'm so honored and so proud to share this bond with so many women!

ALAM