Hi, my name is Rachel O’Connell, and in my spare time I read about dead poets and dream about the future. I’m strikingly extroverted and quietly nerdy; never in my life did I imagine joining a sorority. However, I spent most of my spring semester rushing for the sorority that I was soon bid to join, and it has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. So, how did this happen? I now have a family in the 50+ girls that I now get to call my sisters, and, among the dregs of busy college life, found a community of strong, independent women unafraid to face the world as their bold and daring selves.

One can find a home anywhere, however, it was in Alpha Sigma Alpha that I found a place to rest my heart. Although all the girls are united as one in friendship and their aims, each one shines separate and uniquely, which means that every person has their place in being different from each other. Similarities are acclaimed, and uniqueness is celebrated, and for this reason, I felt no better place to grow and harvest into the best possible "me" that I could achieve, alongside the support of a family that would always have each other’s backs, no matter what.

I wasn’t surprised to hear the confusion in my friends’ voices when I told them about joining the sorority. It seemed impossible having to explain how much more Greek Life stood for, beyond the social aspect that most expected of it. With more time pulling all-nighters in the library with my sisters than living the Hollywood acclaimed "college party life," my life hasn't changed much at all since my initial bid, except the enormous support group that I had gained from choosing to be a part of the Greek Community. How could I possibly explain just how close I had become to my sisters through being a part of the same organization?

The confounding friendships that one develops for their peers in a Greek organization is similar to a family, and I felt blessed to have the sense of belonging that my sisters provide for each other. There isn’t a single person who I do not feel pride in being able to call my sister. Being a part of a sorority is feeling as if you are a part of something so much larger than yourself. You learn to value your own personal merits, whilst simultaneously understanding the importance of personal and community growth, whether it is for your own resume, or simply for the philanthropic wellbeing of your community. For this reason, joining my sorority allowed me to take a step beyond my own reflection, and look at the college and global community that I take part in, and then begin to ask myself how I wanted to view myself within that community. So yes, although it was one of the most unexpected decisions I had ever made, it is one that I will never regret, as I now get to live each day knowing that I am a part of a much larger community that chooses to fulfill all academic and social functions in the vision of a better community.