In the wake of A.L. Bailey's extremely insulting article and being cut off from my sisters and sorority due to summer camp, I must say that I've done a lot of reflecting on my past two years with my sorority. Throughout all the ups and downs, I've come to realize that the girl that went through recruitment in 2013 is a far cry from the girl I am today, and that's all a result from going Greek. Going through recruitment was the second-best decision I made since entering college. The first was running home to the most loving and wonderful sorority I could have imagined. The bonds I have made throughout my time in my sorority are ones that can never be broken and I thought it was time to take a minute to thank all my incredible sisters for everything they've done for me.
1. Thank you for letting me be myself.
I never realized how I didn't know myself until my freshman year of college. In a place where I knew no one and could be anyone I wanted to be, it was easy to become a "new" person--to shed the previous reputation I held in high school and become a "better" me. It wasn't long before I realized that college isn't a place to be a "better" you; it's a place to be the real you. I've always struggled with loving and accepting myself for who I am but my sisters did not. They saw the loud, blunt, opinionated, cat-loving girl that I am and accepted me and all my flaws with open arms. Without the love and support of my sisters, I never would have learned the importance of loving yourself and the self-worth that everyone carries.
2. Thank you for always being honest with me.
One thing I have always admired about my sisters is their openness and honesty about everything. Like real sisters, they have never been afraid to tell it to me like it is, and, although I haven't always appreciated it at the time, looking back I'm more than grateful for every piece of advice ever given to me.
3. Thank you for giving me a family.
Coming from a single-parent household, where all my siblings already live on their own, I've never experienced the traditional family lifestyle. Growing up, I always envied anyone who didn't grow up exactly like me. You know, the people with the family that always sat down together at dinner to talk about their day, or the family that always had huge celebrations for the holidays. Thank you to my sisters who have allowed me to spend the weekends with them when they knew I would be alone. Thank you to the sisters who have allowed me to spend holidays with them. Thank you to the sisters who have helped me pick out outfits for the weekends, like real sisters do. Thank you to all the sisters who I've bickered with but still supported me when I had a problem. Thank you to all my sisters for being the best family anyone could ask for.
4. Thank you for all the unforgettable memories.
One thing I clearly remember my first year in the sorority was being in awe of all the funny stories all the older girls told about their adventures in the sorority. I also remember wishing and hoping that, by the time I was their age, I would have similar stories to tell. I'm so thankful to say I do. Thank you to all my sisters who have gone on random shopping trips with me to Walmart that turned into all-night adventures. Thank you to all the sisters that rode around in the car with me while belting out old-school Taylor Swift. Thank you to the sisters that had dance parties in the chapter room and let me embarrass them by putting it all on Snapchat. Thank you for the extremely long dance practices that were tiring and frustrating but made us closer in the end. Thank you for the late-night study sessions where we absolutely did more talking and laughing than studying. Thank you for all the worthwhile memories that will embarrass my future children for years to come.
5. Thank you for giving me a lifetime of sisterhood.
"It's not just for for four years, it's for life" is not a phrase my sorority just throws around to impress PNMs; it's a phrase we live by. Thank you to the sisters that have graduated but still let me vent whenever I need it. Thank you to the alumnae that have always helped whenever we have needed it. Thank you to the sister, who is also my adviser, who understands the struggles of dealing with school and sorority life. Thank you to the sisters who are also our advisers for taking the time out of their lives to assist with our chapter: you are a continued example of how, even after you graduate from the sorority, it still impacts you. Thank you to the sisters that saw something in me and invited me into a sorority that allows me to connect with women of many generations, not just the ladies I have met, and will meet, during my time at college.
