I always loved the idea of having a "girl gang", a group of women who were confident enough to lift me up without feeling like it brought themselves down. Before going through sorority recruitment, I was so worried that I would feel more insecure surrounded by the beautiful girls who appeared to exude poise; terrified that I wouldn't be able to live up to the standard. In reality, as the process moved forward, I slowly felt more sure of myself and proud of who I was. The reason for this was the specific group of women I found in Alpha Chi Omega.

It was such a surreal experience, being genuinely appreciated and feeling like I was welcomed with open arms, because all I had ever witnessed was the idea of making others look bad in order to appear superior in comparison. I personally never understood that way of thinking, and it was so incredibly refreshing to join a chapter that felt the way I did.

The level of support in AXO is something that continues to surprise me and makes me feel honored to be a part of. Although we are a group of women who stick together in our ideals and values, each individual is recognized and supported for whatever unique thing they do or quality they have.

There are things that I always wanted to do, but I felt unable to gain the courage due to a lack of a solid support system; now, there are times when I feel unstoppable because I know I have women that will cheer for and hope for my success regardless of what I want to overcome or accomplish. I have started to put myself out there, do things outside of my comfort zone and conquer little fears of failure or judgement that I had prior to coming to Clemson. And that means so much to me.

Another important thing to me is the emphasis that was and is put on our philanthropy, as well as other meaningful conversations about real things. Rather than using our organization to uplift our own personal agendas for status or relevancy, we use our numbers to strengthen others.

I feel so blessed because I know I am a part of something so much bigger than myself that has given me a platform to make a difference in the world. We want to help others heal, not just the domestic violence victims part of the organization we support, but each other. I have been able to find growth and healing for my own personal obstacles because I finally feel like I have other women that care, listen and relate to me.

These truly are real, strong women, and I have never been more proud to be a part of something.