Dear Freshmen,
Congratulations! For many, you just completed your first week of classes; for others, you may be on the first month mark. Shake off the jitters of not knowing anyone in class or what to expect on a syllabus, it will happen every semester until you graduate. Don't worry about missing the shuttle to class, or sleeping through your alarm -- we all do it. You may have already met plenty of people in your hall, and your roommate has become your shadow as you encounter the unknown together.
In between taking classes and taking on a new workload, you may find yourself going out, but something seems missing. The constant schedule of the same thing has led you to feel like there is a black hole in your days, that there is something out there to complete this feeling. I urge you to get involved on campus. Go take a walk to the involvement fair! Yes, that does mean you need to get off your bed and go out, but I promise you, it may lead to something beautiful.
You may find the group of people who share the same interests as you, who want to succeed in life just as much as you. A group of people who will give you a shoulder to cry on, no matter how far away they may be. A group of people who want to lend a hand to a cause that you share a passion for and will do whatever it takes to raise your goal. A group of people who you can truly be yourself around, as in lounge around in oversized shirts, eating boxes of pizza, screaming your favorite songs on the tops of your lungs, and they will join you in a heartbeat. Doesn't that sound amazing to you? I promise you, this exists. It's not a figment of your imagination, or mine. It's my reality. I've found a group of women who embrace me for who I really am and push me to be the best version of myself they know I can be.
I once found myself in your shoes not too long ago. I thought all of this wasn't for me. Look where I am today -- I can't imagine my life without them. My big, whom I can rely on for just about anything, my president, who has offered opportunities for me to grow because she sees something in me I don't see in myself, and most importantly, the women whom I get to call my sisters for the rest of my life.
I understand that Greek life isn't for everyone. I understand the cliche notions people have made about us: hazing, paying for friends, alcoholics, etc. I promise you -- we are not that, we are more than what meets the eye. There is a saying in Greek life, "From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it," and there is no other phrase to describe it. I understand you may have heard the stereotypes about each organization on campus by now, you've seen the letters and have asked what they mean. Each organization holds their own special morals and values amongst a huge Greek community, each unique in their own beautiful way. No matter the letters, we are all Greek together. We all help each other when someone is in need, even if it means being on our feet for days raising money for kids. Every single chapter. Every single one of us.
I urge you to test the waters; I applaud you just for trying because I know this isn't for everyone. Whether you stick around or not, you will meet a group of people along the journey who understand you for exactly who you are, I promise you it's bound to happen. Come join us and see what we have to offer you. Behind the T-shirts, bigs and littles, and throwing up hand signs, there is a beautiful experience waiting. What do you have to lose?
Sincerely,
Your Potential New Sister
