I'm the kind of person with a "go big or go home" mentality. If I order a pizza, it's going to be a large. If I'm going to sleep in, you won't see me all day. If I join a club on campus, you're damn right I'm going to take an active role in the organization. I believe in living life to its fullest and having the drive to make it to the top. So, naturally, when I joined a sorority, I did just that.

I'm the proud president of an amazing group of women who I look up to, who inspire me and who both push me to my limits as well as save me from the edge. I'm not the same person I was when I joined as a freshman. I'm a better, stronger, more confident version of myself — but we'll save that for another article.

There are times when I think that I've bitten off much more than I can chew and there are times where I'm grateful to be in the position. It all comes and goes in phases. Here's what it's like:

Phase 1: Go get 'em, kid

You've just been elected. You entered the chapter as a dorky, awkward kid who just happened to say the right things during recruitment. The resources, opportunities and people around you have helped you grow into a leader. You can't believe that the women you look up to around you actually look up to you, too. People will tell you how excited they are to see what you can do. You're ready for this. You have so many ideas and you can't wait to hit the ground running. You spend all of break writing up plans and calendars. You're ready to start using positive reinforcement and rewards in the chapter, rather than fines and probation. You're going to change the game.

Phase 2: This isn't so bad!

You get back to campus and things are even easier than you thought. Your sisters are excited to see what you can do and you keep lines of communication open. You run into minor speed bumps along the way, but nothing you can't handle.

Phase 3: IS THIS A SICK JOKE?

Then, a crisis hits. Who knows what it's going to be. Every president has to deal with one. Maybe it's terrible rumors within the chapter, maybe it's allegations of hazing, maybe your budget falls apart, maybe your advisor quits on you, maybe you have to clean up someone else's mess, maybe you get seriously sick, maybe some of your executive board members aren't pulling their weight, maybe you have to kick out one of your best friends because of grades... You get the point. Something out of your control strikes and you have to either break it to the chapter or clean up the mess. Either way, you feel like they're blaming you for it, and maybe they are.

Phase 4: Leave me alone, I'm begging you.

No matter how well you handle your crisis, you're going to spiral into some level of depression. You're going to lose a few of your best friends because they think you're taking yourself too seriously and you're going to get ridiculed because you're not taking yourself seriously enough. You're going to grow apart from people that you thought would be there for you forever. Everything just becomes a little too much to handle. You're going to dread waking up every morning because there's some kind of dumb sh*t that's going to happen that day. Someone is going to look at someone wrong in the chapter and World War III is going to break out. Someone is going to send you a nasty text because they think there are too many events planned that weekend. You're going to dread checking your phone because you literally can't escape. You're going to be irritable and you'll feel like you're going insane. You've never been the kind of person to revel in self-pity, but it's going to suck, probably for a while.

Phase 5: Getting your sh*t together

At some point, however, you need to get over it. That sounds harsh, but it's true. Go home for a weekend, take a personal Saturday, take up meditation. You'll realize what's important. This is the pivotal phase, that halfway point, where presidencies are born or killed. You're going to start doing what you need to do to stay afloat and rebuild yourself. This is the phase where you develop those leadership qualities that you can brag about in job interviews, and where you find leadership qualities that you never even knew you had. You can do it.

Phase 6: I'm your go-to girl.

Now, you've done it. You've mastered it. You could probable recite your local bylaws in your sleep and you've figured out exactly how to deal with all of the stress and the work and even those specific people that always seem to stir up trouble. You've figured it all out. People are going to start complimenting you and telling you how great of a job you're doing. You're not supposed to care about what people think, but it still means a lot that people are starting to be proud of you again. Here's a hint though, they never actually stopped. They never actually stopped looking up to you, they never actually stopped depending on you, they never actually gave up on you. Weird, right?

Phase 7: Dead inside

Just as you're at the peak of your upswing, you're at the end of your term. Elections are starting up again and sisters are coming to you asking you for advice on how to become the next president. You feel like you're just starting, and now you have to give it all up. Eventually, elections will happen and the new president will start her first phase. She'll ignore the wisdom you try to bestow upon her (by passively sharing this this article) and she'll attempt to find her footing. You go from the busiest girl on campus to a literal nobody, with nothing to look forward to except pitcher night. Ugh, whatever.

Phase 8: Proud

Luckily, phase seven doesn't last very long. You'll look back on your presidency and you'll be able to realize how much you've grown. You're probably going to be in your senior year of college, so you'll be able to enjoy life to its fullest. You'll be busy with job interviews and internships and you'll be thankful for all the ups and downs of presidency. You'll gain all your friends back (the important ones, anyways) and you'll be there to support the new president, because at this point her crisis is just around the corner. Poor girl.

I wouldn't trade my experience as president for anything in the world. I've gotten a chance to sharpen my leadership skills, I've learned to think on my feet and I've become the world's greatest problem solver. I have become my own person.

This article isn't meant to scare anyone, it's not meant to over-dramatize the idea of being president. It's just life. Everyone experiences the phases in different increments, but the important thing to remember is that you can't skip a phase, no matter how hard you try. It's all part of growing up. (Ew, I know.)