"So, why A Chi O?" a freshman girl asked me at Alpha Chi's last SUB dinner. I paused for a beat, considered correcting her for a split second (#WhyAlphaChi), but then decided not to sound snarky. Still, I found myself hesitating. I had too many thoughts running through my mind, screaming "PICK ME! PICK ME! I'M THE FUNNY STORY ABOUT HOW LAST YEAR AT SING YOU GOT STUCK IN YOUR COSTUME," or "PICK ME! I'M YOUR PHILANTHROPY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH ALPHA CHI!"
Freshman girl, (I'm sorry, I'm pretty sure your name was Lauren, but I could be wrong; as I told you, I'm terrible at names.) this is answer I should have said to you at SUB dinner.
Why Alpha Chi? Because these girls are goofy; no one here takes themselves too seriously, and I can always count on these girls to make me laugh. Not only are they funny, but they also appreciate (or at least they pretend to appreciate) all of my horrible puns and bad jokes. Sometimes they even encourage it, which is a dream come true for me.
Why Alpha Chi? Because these girls are down to earth and genuine; girls in Alpha Chi will not put on a false pretense, it just isn't in their nature. They don't feel any need to change their personality for others.
Why Alpha Chi? Because these girls know and care about the little things; they know what movies I like, songs I listen to on repeat for days, and my favorite caffeinated drink. They know that I love chocolate chip cookies and Torchy's Tacos, specifically the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast taco.
Why Alpha Chi? Because these girls know that sometimes I'm going to arrive at formal chapter meetings smelling like my tennis class, and they will still hug me and say how put together and pretty I look. (If that isn't love, I don't know what is.)
Why Alpha Chi? Because these girls are all advocates for our philanthropy, Domestic Violence Awareness. Unfortunately, too many women have some type of personal connection to domestic abuse, whether it was their relationship or a friend's relationship. One in four women has experienced domestic abuse from a partner and Alpha Chi Omega has been fighting those numbers since 1992. We're women helping women.
Why Alpha Chi? Because getting these girls to do something can be like trying to herd cats - almost impossible. It can be frustrating; personally, I know that I am one of the most stubborn girls in Alpha Chi. But when these girls rally around something, whether it be a philanthropy event or helping sisters find dates to formal, it's a group effort and everyone gives 110 percent.
Why Alpha Chi? Because we aren't afraid to admit that we don’t know every single girl in our chapter. There's over 260 of us, and it's difficult to get to know every single one of those girls personally. That doesn’t stop us from trying.
Why Alpha Chi? Because in Alpha Chi, I found my home.
Why Alpha Chi? Because in Alpha Chi, we are individually unique and all together complete.
Why Alpha Chi? Because in Alpha Chi, we are Real. Strong. Women.
