Every human being old enough to remember 2001 has probably seen (or at least heard of) “Legally Blonde." Elle Woods was the epitome of the ideal self. She had the fabulous car, the best clothes and her blonde hair was always flawless; she was pretty much a living Barbie doll. Although, underneath all of the cliché perks of Elle Woods’ life, I believe we all desired to have the same kind of friendships like Elle had with her sorority sisters.

My mom was in a sorority when she was in college, and I still have such vivid memories of the stories she shared with me. I will never forget the day she was able to give me a tour of her actual house. While all of the friendships she had told me about were what I had imagined to find someday, her house was what made all of those friendships become real.

All of my visions of what a sorority house would look like were exhibited perfectly. I honestly think my mother’s house could’ve been the one used to film “Legally Blonde." From the elegant foyer with a beautiful winding staircase to the sunroom just beyond with sisters reading, doing homework or chatting about the campus news. Looking back on it now, it was like I had stepped right into the life of Elle Woods herself. Although, even in that moment of true delight, I was afraid that these girls were going to shoo us away or say it was “so nice” of us to drop by (I really hope that some of you just caught that “House Bunny” reference). Instead, in tradition, all of the sisters who watched my mom and I walk into the house stood. My mom then told me that the only people who can walk directly into the house without ringing the doorbell are either sisters or alumni of the chapter. In my mom's chapter, it is a tradition that each member of the chapter formally recognizes the alumni who may walk into the chapter home by standing in their presence. Not only was the house and sisterhood mesmerizing, but the history of the chapter immediately grabbed my attention. That kind of tradition and respect my mother's sorority sisters had for her was so captivating to see.

That’s when my desire to be a sorority girl really took flight.

Fast forward to surviving formal recruitment in what seemed to be 100-degree weather, I had now become a member of the chapter that I had fallen in love with from day one. As my freshman year drew to a close, I was counting down the days until I could move into the “Big White House." I adored the house’s homey charm and sisterly presence that swam through the halls. It would only be a short matter of time before I would be living my sophomore year of college with some of the best friends I never knew I had.

Now here’s where I’m about to get real. Living in the sorority house was one of the best decisions I ever made, but it was also one I don’t know if I would make again. I love each and every one of my sisters, but let’s face it, living in what seemed to be a large house with 28 other women became a little hectic at times.

There were times when all of us couldn’t wait to go home for the weekend or holiday breaks so we wouldn’t have to see each other every day. There were times when my roommates and I would spend entire Sundays in our room doing homework, watching Netflix or napping (We called ourselves the sloths, a completely appropriate title). There were times when I wanted to pull my out my hair because of all the frustration I would feel. There were other times when I would spend hours upon hours slaving over crafts or homework in the study room, and my sisters and I would break into Taylor Swift dance parties to ease the tension.

Living with so many women is not easy. It takes a toll on your self-esteem, your attitude and your overall well being (When one person got sick, everyone got sick). But I also believe that living in the house taught me so many valuable lessons that I will never forget. The house is one living body. If one person is hurting, the whole house hurts; if one person is happy, the whole house is happy. Living with that many people taught me that you have to work together in order to create a functional, warm and loving home. The reason my mom’s sorority house felt so comfortable to me was because of the environment her sisters had created. Now I’m not saying my mom’s chapter didn’t have its problems because every chapter does, even if they don’t show it. My house was the same way; we had our problems, yet my sisters and I took it upon ourselves to create a home where our issues weren’t seen or felt, because deep down we all shared the same love for one another, and we wanted our home to reflect that. It’s amazing how a little love can change a house into a home.

I will say that even in some of the worst times (or what seemed to be the worst of times) in the house, I will say I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. My sisters each have their own little quirks, beautiful souls and charming personalities. I think that is why I loved my chapter, even before it was my chapter. I can still recall the mornings I spent getting ready for class with my sister, who absolutely loves Fall Out Boy. I can still recall the laughs we all shared through our Dubsmash videos we made in room three. I can still recall the tears we all shed when it came time to move out.

Now some of you may not have any interest in joining a sorority (I'm not offended, I promise), these are lessons you learn simply by living with roommates. Whether you live with four people or 30, you learn lessons about yourself, how you treat others, and how you like to be treated. As an added bonus you can make life-long friends out of the deal!