During the summer of 2012, I packed up at home and set off to attend college five hours away. Little did I know how many adventures and experiences I was about to become a part of. Now it’s 2016, and graduation is around the corner. I won’t be graduating until the fall semester due to a change in my major, but many of my closest friends are about to leave this small town and embark on a new journey in three weeks. Looking back at the past four years of my life, I am nostalgic of the wonderful memories I created with friends and professors who have helped shape my life into what it now is. But among all the memories I can think of, I have to admit the greatest moments I experienced were those with my sorority sisters.
That’s right, my sorority changed my life. And my favorite experiences weren’t shaped by what the media portrays Greek like to be full of: copious amounts of alcohol and partying with other Greek sororities and fraternities. The greatest memories with my sisters came from chapter meetings on Monday nights, sisterhoods, philanthropy events and all the times I spent in other sisters' houses bonding late at night.
I was lucky enough to be initiated as a sister of my sorority my first semester of college. Being a collegiate member of my sorority gave me four years filled with countless experiences of spending time with my sisters, but my sisterhood is for life. No matter how old I am or how far away I live from my college town, I will always be close with the women I was privileged to call my sisters.
Although being in college for four years is long enough for most people, I wish I could stay around forever to meet future members who will add links into an ever widening circle of sisterhood. Since this is not possible, I want to give advice to current members who are new to my sisterhood and to those who might want to join a sorority in the future.
1. Everyone makes mistakes, but how you pick yourself up is what really matters. Guess what? No one is perfect. If you find that you have made a mistake or have done wrong to someone, especially your sisters, admit your fault to yourself or to them and try to be better than the person you were yesterday.
2. Seize the day. Being in a sorority is about empowering each other to change the world, but this cannot be done unless you wake up each day and do something productive to better yourself or the community. Do not take advantage of the time that has been given to you, because in a couple weeks from now you will be wishing you would have done the work yesterday to be great today.
3. Spend time with those who have different personalities than you. Everyone on this earth is different than you. You may be surprised of how much you could learn from people who are different than you. This applies to your sisters. You will not like everyone who is in your organization, but the least you can do is get to know them. In a couple months from now, you may be relying on that person to help you get through a tough situation.
4. You will always get farther with being kind rather than being rude. If you are mean to others, you will not be liked. This is especially true for those who want to take on leadership positions in the sorority. However, do not confuse "mean girl behavior" with assertiveness. Being kind to others will take you a lot farther than being rude to others, no matter if they are your friend or acquaintance. Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you.
Although this letter is for women who want to be part of a sorority, it would be wrong of me to not dedicate this letter to the sisters who have made me feel at home during college. I have had the honor of bonding with unique women with beautiful personalities during my time as a college undergraduate student. Without their efforts to help, love and support me, I would not be the woman I am today. I want to thank my sisters for always believing in me and empowering me. You all have played a huge part in my personal growth as a woman, as a leader and as a philanthropist. It is my only hope those who want to be a part of a sorority have as wonderful of an experience as I did.
