Big-Little week is probably one of the biggest weeks for Greek organizations, at least for sororities. A lot of money and work go into making beautiful gifts and memories for littles.

This past week, I got to be a Little.

It started out with preferencing a couple weeks before. It was hard to pick just five girls I would be happy with being my Big. Everyone in my sorority is nice, generous and funny that it was a hard decision. For myself, as well as other littles, there is always one girl that stands out from the rest, the one that you hope to be your Big. However, you try not to get your hopes up too high in case you don’t get the exact person they wanted.

I knew I got a Big when a Facebook page named “Katie Biggle” asked to friend me. I squealed and become excited very quickly. Since the Big-Little was right after spring break, there was a two week gap between when the Facebook page emerged and actual Big-Little week. Before the actual week, I checked my Facebook constantly at school and over vacation to see if my Big posted on the Facebook page. I was ecstatic when she did.

Being the type of person I am, I hated the mystery. I wanted to know who my Big is and I intended on figuring it out!

When Big-Little week finally rolled around, I was excited. I was in a bit of a slump coming back from break, wanting it to be summer already, but that all changed when the excitement of the week emerged.

The first night was movie night. I got a popcorn bowl, candy, a couple of movies, as well as canvas and a stuffed turtle. What I would figure out later, my Big was one of the ones that delivered to me the first night.

The second night was Turtle Tuesday, because I’m a Delta Zeta and our mascot is the turtle. I got a ton of turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles presents and another canvas.

Lying in bed that night, I realized something that my note from my big said, “These turtles have been passed down through the family for generations.” I jumped out of bed and researched. Being a journalism major, finding information is my thing. I found the old big pages of the five girls I preferenced and compared my turtles to their pictures. And low and behold, two of the turtles matched. I figured out on night two who my Big was.

I was so excited when I figured out it was her because she is so kind and fun. I knew everything was going to be great.

My roommate thought I was terrible for seeking out the information, but I didn’t really care much. Some people like to be surprised, I don’t. I don’t mind spoiler alerts at all, but I’m unlike most people. Even though I figured it out, I didn’t want to out my Big because I wanted her to enjoy being a “secret” Big. So I only told a few people that I knew.

The third night was probably the most surprising. I was telling one of my pledge sisters, who was also a Little this week, how I figured out my Big. I showed her the turtles and she pointed out that she has a couple of the same turtles in the picture. That night we also got a note saying that we had a twin. So it was confirmed: my Big had two Littles and I was a twin! My twin and I realized we had gotten very similar things the two previous nights.

The third night my grand-Big and a couple of other Grand-Bigs read us a Dr. Seuss books because it was a family tradition.

The next night, Thursday night, we (my twin and I) had to be at one of the residential halls for the surprise. That was the night where a singer from one of the musical groups on campus sang “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” while my twin and I were being fed ice cream by two separate guys. It was embarrassingly hilarious and one of those memories I’ll remember for a life time.

The final night I had to leave my room so my Big could come in and decorate my room. I came back to find streamers above my bed and many gifts laid out on my bed surrounded by balloons. A couple of the balloons I had to pop because my big left cute notes inside.

I loved all my gifts and I couldn’t thank my Big enough for them. I was so excited because the next morning I was to find out who she was.

Saturday morning we had to be at the sorority house wearing socks our Bigs gave us the previous days. We were taken into the back yard where we found rows of boxes with feet sticking out from under them. Each girl paired with their big by what socks were on their feet.

Watching others find out who their big is was wonderful. The level of energy on that chilly Saturday morning was through the roof. When it came time for my twin and I to find out who our big was, we skipped through the rows of boxes until we were in front of our big. Everyone counted down until a sister took the box off our big. My twin and I rushed to hug her. The picture we took of us all hugging was priceless. It was exactly who I thought it would be.

After many, many pictures were taken, my family went out for lunch, then we all went our separate ways. The next day, I was prepared for my initiation into my sorority.

I will never stop thanking my Big for the wonderful week she gave to me and the carefully crafted gifts she prepared. She is the greatest and I can’t wait for the years to come. I hope to become as great as a Big as you.