Have you ever thought, Wow, I wonder what it is like to be a sorority house mom? Supervising a group of almost 100 college girls does not sound like the easiest job in the world. I, myself, know that I would never have the patience to take on such a responsibility. Dacie Cowell, however, cannot say the same.
Dacie Cowell is a pretty normal lady: friendly, outgoing, smart. She lives a pretty normal life; she has kids and grandkids, and has a number of friends here in Columbia. The only not-so-common thing about Dacie is that she employs the job of a sorority house mom.
Dacie has been the Tri Delta house mom for the past ten years. Over the years, she has lived under the same roof as ten different pledge classes, witnessed a countless amount of bizarre situations and gained a number of life lessons that she has taken to heart. I sat down with Dacie to ask a few questions about her experience as a sorority house mom, and she gave me a brief glimpse into the hectic but rewarding lifestyle.
It was a Monday. I asked Dacie what she had on her agenda for the day, not expecting the elaborate response that was to come.
“Today, I am going to pick up the cake for initiation at HyVee. Then, I’m going to head over to Sam’s to pick up some plastic silverware and plates and some ingredients for punch,” Dacie said. She paused for a few seconds and continued, “Then I have to meet with Greg, our handyman, and have him help me get out some ‘souvenirs’ that the girls have kept from Homecoming…not sure why they brought those back to the house. Oh, and I have to go out and buy some hand soap and toilet cleaner – we’re out of those.”
I looked at Dacie with a sense of astonishment. Slow your roll, girl. But, then again, this is her job, so I guess that has to be taken into consideration.
I then asked Dacie, “What does it take to be a sorority house mom?”
Immediately, she responded, “Patience. More than anything. You can’t get yourself too mad and you can’t hold grudges.”
I can only imagine. Being in charge of a group of young women is the definition of what it means to be patient.
I continued to ask Dacie, “What are some of your favorite parts of being a sorority house mom?” A subtle smile spread across her face.
“Oh wow, there’s a lot. I like being around the girls and listening to all their stories. They’re funny and they enjoy life an awful lot,” Dacie said. “I like seeing all the girls dress up for SEC game days. I like the formals when the boys come over for check-in and want to shake your hand and be your best friend. I like all the other house moms; we have a good time talking and they have good stories. I also like everyone I work with: our chefs, our housekeepers and our house corporation. They’re great.”
Dacie also brought to my attention a memorable moment she witnessed the week before.
“One night last week, my bedroom door was closed and I was trying to fall asleep. But my room is right by the study room, and there was a group of girls studying for their journalism exam. They were up late and at one point I heard them having a wonderful discussion about how to improve sorority life. It was a great discussion — and of course, I eventually went in there and told them to quiet down, but it was OK. I like witnessing when they have serious, meaningful discussion. They’re smart girls,” Dacie explained.
From my impression and from our discussion, it seems like being a sorority house mom is a wild ride but also an extremely rewarding one.
“Some days it’s easy and some days it’s hard. I’ve learned a lot over the years here,” Dacie concluded.
