To my sorority,

In my very short 18 years of living, I’ve discovered that people can be very mean. People can be cruel and hateful, and sometimes you can feel like you just don’t belong. When I graduated from high school, I thought that these feelings wouldn’t change. I hoped I was wrong.

I didn’t jump into my college life assuming I’d join a sorority. In fact, I expected the opposite. I didn’t have the money for something like that, and I never seem to feel like I quite fit in with groups of people. There was no reason for me to pay to join something where I wouldn’t fit in. That’s the great part about going through formal recruitment, though, isn’t it? Finding that place where you belong.

I came to college with some high expectations, but I still had this underlying feeling of pessimism. Things don’t always change just because you get a change of scenery, and I tend to learn that rather quickly. When I decided to go through recruitment, it was more to get to know some different kinds of people. I almost didn’t even go through recruitment. I met one girl who told me to just do it for fun if nothing else, and her reassurances that things would always work out convinced me. I went through Formal Recruitment, met some of you lovely ladies, and learned more about Greek life in the process.

When I received my bid, I obviously accepted. I wasn’t going to take more time to think about it and I wasn’t going to decline. I wanted to be a part of it, and I knew that and as always, the "system" worked. I ran home to you all and it was a very warm welcome. Bid Day will always be one of my favorite days.

You welcomed all of us new members with open arms, and even though I felt the warmth from you all I still had this feeling of not belonging. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that. Sometimes we just don’t feel like we belong somewhere. It doesn’t have to be at the fault of someone else. Weeks passed, though, and I found people within the sorority who make me feel like I belong there. I know that there’s someone who’s going to welcome me with open arms no matter what we’re doing. So, I’m sure you know who you are and I just want to thank you.

Joining Kappa Delta has given me so many opportunities. Thanks to you all, I’ve had so many opportunities. I’ve gotten my leadership position, I’ve joined things outside of the sorority, and I actually talk to some of the people in the same year as me now (well, not that I didn’t do that anyway). I walk around campus now and there’s pretty much always someone to say hi to. I didn’t have that before. I’ve been given an opportunity to help other people while at the same time spending my days with people who care about me.

I’m not going to lie and say that it’s been a walk in the park for me. I still have days where I feel like things aren’t always the best and I have days where I wonder if I really belong where I’m at. That’s just who I am, though. But Kappa Delta is wonderful. I’m surrounded by an amazing group of women who want to help other people and who want to make sure all of us have the best we can. I’ve gotten so many amazing opportunities already thanks to my sorority, and I’m so thankful to have something like this in my life.

I guess I just want to thank you.

Thank you for not living up to my expectations of those stereotypical movie sororities. You’ve shown me that things aren’t always what people make them out to be (we should probably tell some of my family that, since they seem to think all we do is party).

Thank you for having an opening for me and for all of my other new sisters. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we needed a place to belong when we’re at school.

Thank you for believing in me. You believed in me when you picked me to send a bid to, and you all believe in me now as a sister. One of the best things about being a part of this sorority is that you all care about everyone. We’re a family. We’re sisters.

Joining this sorority has been a blessing to me since coming to college. The price isn’t too steep either (I’m sorry, I had to add that in). Perks of being at a small university, I guess.

Finally, thank you for being my home away from home. You all are so wonderful and, as I’ve mentioned multiple times, welcoming. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my college career with you all.

Love,

Me