I went into sorority formal recruitment my freshman year completely blind. I did not want to know about any stereotypes surrounding sororities because I wanted to go into the process as unbiased as possible. All I knew was that I wanted to come out of the process feeling like I found my home, and I can proudly say that I have found my home alongside the beautiful women of Gamma Phi Beta.

As the first day of recruitment progressed and I met sisters from each chapter, it was a bit difficult for me to get a feel for certain places, as we'd just touched upon materialistic concepts in most of the rooms. When it came time for the women in each room to talk to me about their respective philanthropies, I was so inspired by the amount of passion that each woman had as she spoke about her philanthropy and philanthropic partner(s).

One philanthropy that stood out to me in particular was Gamma Phi Beta's Building Strong Girls. It was thoroughly and passionately explained to me through wide smiles and bright eyes that as an organization, Gamma Phi works alongside its philanthropic partner, Girls on the Run. At the time, I'd never heard about Girls on the Run, so naturally, I was extremely intrigued by the concept. After asking a series of questions, I was informed that Girls on the Run works to build confidence in elementary and middle school-aged girls through a curriculum-based program, while also training the girls to run a 5k at the completion of the program.

I found it incredible that sisters of Gamma Phi volunteer as coaches and mentors to help these young girls out of the kindness of their hearts. Elementary and middle school-aged girls are at an extremely vulnerable stage with exposure to the media as well as internal and external judgmental environments.

After learning about the philanthropy and falling in love with it as well as all of the other wonderful aspects of Gamma Phi, receiving my bid to this beautiful sisterhood was more than a dream come true. It's almost been exactly a year to date since I've joined Gamma Phi Beta, and I want to highlight some major concepts that come along with being a part of a strong sisterhood.

You're never alone.

I mean this in a physical sense as well as an emotional one. If you're sitting somewhere alone on campus and one of your sisters recognizes you, they'll say "hi" and perhaps join you if the situation permits. This is a great way to get to know sisters you may not know as well as others. In an emotional sense, having sisters as a support system can be an amazing thing. Whether you're going through a breakup and a sister takes you to drown your sorrows in Ben and Jerry's, or you're just having a bad day, your sisters are always there for you. Even on your good days, they're there to share in your happiness. Essentially, your sisters are there for you no matter what.

You have automatic friends and you meet some of your lifelong best friends.

A common misconception surrounding Greek Life in general is that you're paying for your friends. I debunk this theory in this article, so I won't go in depth here. However, when you're joining a sorority in a pledge class of a bunch of other girls, you're inevitably going to meet some people you really click with. As time goes on, you're going to meet more of your sisters through philanthropy events, events held by other Panhellenic chapters, in your dorm buildings, jobs, and pretty much anywhere on campus. Since you're in the same sorority, it's easy to find common ground with your sisters and expand your friendships from there.

Need help with a class? Your sisters have your back.

More often than not, a sister already has taken a class that you're in, so if you're ever struggling, you do not need to look far for some assistance. Gamma Phi Beta places quite an emphasis on scholarship, so you should never be afraid to ask sisters for help! A plethora of sisters enjoy studying together as well, because it's definitely more fun than studying alone. In addition to the latter, having sisters in your classes means that you automatically have people to sit with if you so please, so a 300-person lecture will feel a lot less threatening.

You build each other up.

I touched upon this concept previously, but I want to emphasize the concept that Gamma Phi Betas build strong girls within our chapters. By surrounding ourselves with strong women, we ourselves become stronger and more confident. Feeling insecure and doubting oneself is a common occurrence, but when a goal is set to be strong individuals in life, Gamma Phi Betas strive to be the best that we can possibly be. If anyone, whether it be a sister or another person in our lives, a value we uphold is to build him/her up. Our efforts reach far beyond our philanthropy, and our passion is endless.

Belonging to a sisterhood with philanthropic roots based on building strong girls is extremely important to myself as well as to my sisters. It's a constant reminder to exude confidence and to be a helping hand to those who may be struggling. Being a Gamma Phi Beta is so much more than showing off letters; it is sticking to our values and being strong, beautiful women on the inside and out.