I walked into Freshman Orientation before I started college, nervous about leaving everything I knew. High school. The house I grew up in. My friends. I was only ten minutes down the road, but that didn't ease the nerves.

Even though I grew up with Jacksonville State University practically in my backyard, I had never given it much of a second thought, until it became more than just a college. It became my college. The GO! leaders sang and danced, and I just sat there.

We broke out into our groups, and one of the first things our assigned GO! leaders talked about was Greek life.

I just laughed. I was not a sorority girl, why would I want to be?

That's just paying for people to be friends with you. But I listened, and couldn't help but admire the underlying complexity that was involved with sororities and fraternities. But that wasn't for me.

My first couple of weeks of college were hard, trying to keep up with classes and trying to make friends. I had made a few in my dorm, but I felt like I needed something more. While at the library, I saw a friend of mine from before I was in college, and she sat down and was chatting with me about how her junior year was going. After a while, she asked if I wanted to hang out with some of her friends, and I said yes. It wasn't until I was in her car that evening that I knew it was a sorority event. I freaked out. I didn't know anything about sororities.

I didn't look the part. My hair was dirty, my glasses were on, and there wasn't a drop of makeup on my face.

I never had many friends growing up, and the thought of being judged that day scared me. But I went through with it, and good thing I did.

I had my friend give me a crash course on her sorority on the drive. The words philanthropy, mixer, events, chapter, dues, and sisterhood raked through my mind during the entire drive. But for the first time in my life, it sounded like fun. Hard, but fun. I had finally begun to relax, but then we pulled up to our destination and the fear came back. What if they don't like me? What if I'm not good enough? And then I met the sisters.

I was amazed. The girls were beautiful, but not in the overdone, stereotypical way. They were genuine, funny, smart, and sweet.

I felt welcomed, but not crowded. I was happy. This was my missing piece.

I joined a sorority.

Throughout my months in the sorority, I thrived as a college student. I became more social, I met new people, my grades excelled. It was truly the best year of my life. I attended every event I could, and I was around to tell people about my sisters. It went by so fast. Big/Little Reveal, new member meetings, initiation, all of which are my best memories in college.

But I dropped.

No, I didn't develop a hatred for the sisterhood. It wasn't the money, or the people, or the time. It was just me, and what I felt was best for my personal health. To this day when people ask me why I dropped, it is hard to explain. I just went with my gut. For my freshman year, it was exactly where I needed to be.

During hard times, I always had sisters who would be there at any hour of the night to be that shoulder to cry on or the person to listen. Even though I dropped, the women treat me like I never left. I am still friends with every one of them, and I love them all dearly.

A sorority is not paying for your friends, it is a true sisterhood, where you meet people you want in your life forever.

Now that my sophomore year is underway, I still call on those same people to help me. You strive to make a difference in your community, and in the world. Sororities are special, sacred, and amazing. The best moments in college are because of the wonderful people who accepted me with dirty hair no makeup. I dropped my sorority, but I will always be a part of our sisterhood and their steadfast love.