I am an extroverted introvert. I love to be around people, but not for too long. I definitely need my down time; so much so that some (read: most) people close to me probably would not call me a people person.

I love sorority and my sisters, but this week is taking a toll on me. Ten hours in a small, hot room with roughly 150 girls is not an ideal way to spend an entire Saturday straight off of winter break. To be honest, I would have loved to spend 10 hours binge watching Friends, which also happens to be the theme for our chapter’s recruitment this year.

The days will only get longer and more exhausting from here. But to me, it’s worth every second. Today I got to spend more time with my sisters than I did all last semester. I got to spend time bonding sisters that I don’t know as well as I would like to. I spent our dinner break in tears, laughing entirely too hard about the original Disney Channel movies.

Pi Phi is more than a sorority to me. I am challenged every single day to be my best self. I have 50 sisters in my pledge class alone that I can strive to be like.

I only have a brother, so I never knew what it was like to have a sister. Pi Phi has taught me a great deal about sisterhood. I am blessed to surround myself with women who live by our values. I also have a variety of people who are always down to order pizza with me.

So yes, this week is exhausting, and perhaps I already feel like locking myself in my room and avoiding everyone for a few days, but it is worth it. This sorority is my home away from home.

Roll on Recruitment 2k16.