After walking into my apartment after a day full of classes, I set my lanyard on the hook and dropped my backpack on the floor. Removing my hat, I placed it gently on an adjacent hook. I paused as I gave the white threaded stitching a second glance. Letters I could not have foreseen myself donning, but symbolize a choice that I would readily make again.
ΘΑ translates as more than Theta Alpha. Those two Greek letters represent a hundred or so girls with whom I have found a home. Stripped of any cliché, I literally mean that these girls warm my heart simply by their presence, and are who I chose to experience everyday life with.
Initially, the sheer size of UF was daunting. Nearly 50,000 students swarm the swamp and the surrounding Gainesville area on a daily basis. That literally makes me 1 out of almost 50,000. I found myself asking, who am I? By that accounting, I am nobody; simply another face in the throng at Turlington or the nameless student sitting in the second row of your statistics class.
Before I left for college, caring friends and family suggested that I join various groups and organizations to “find my place” on campus. My mom was a member of Chi Omega during her time at UF, but I wanted to strike out on my own, even if I did end up striking out. Even after thoroughly researching numerous groups, I still felt hesitant to throw myself into the fray.
Yet, from the first night of ΘΑ Rush I was pleasantly surprised by how at ease I felt even while standing in line to pick up my name tag. Active sisters initiated conversation and seemed genuinely excited to meet me. Such a welcoming atmosphere coupled with their sweet smiles released the nervousness pent-up inside me.
If you are mentally flipping through the Greek sororities at the University of Florida (something you might’ve painstakingly memorized), but cannot seem to locate Theta Alpha in your Panhellenic list, have no fear because we are not found there. That’s right, Theta Alpha is a non-traditional sorority. We are non-traditional in the sense that we are a Christian sorority.
Ah, don’t close your browser just yet, though! Amanda Bynes' bible-thumping character, Marianne, in the teen comedy Easy A is not who we aspire to be. Condemnation and judgement are not ours to wield. In fact, we all consider ourselves in need of Jesus Christ’s saving grace as much as anyone else.
Our sisterhood strives to exhibit Christ-like compassion and selflessness within our own chapter and UF’s campus at large. We lovingly keep each other accountable, hold each other’s hand through life’s trials and loudly (almost obnoxiously) celebrate triumphant moments! Although we are sober at socials, formals and weekly events, we love to “break it down,” laugh and have fun like any other college kid.
One of my favorite sorority events was corporately retreating to the lakeside where friendships were fostered in kayaks, hammocks and in the cabins before bedtime. Oftentimes camping has a funny way of revealing one’s true character, and I loved these girls even more when we were in the woods watching the camp fire dance.
My Theta Alpha sisters are driven women who strive to fully utilize their God-given talents and passions. They inspire me to put forth the effort necessary to succeed in the classroom, cultivate lasting relationships and grow as a person. They are the evidence that God intended for me to be at UF because with ΘΑ I believe that I’m right where I belong.
What else can I say to explain how I knew that Theta Alpha was the sisterhood for me?
Do you remember how demoralized you felt scouring the mall for a perfect pair of jeans? Maybe the first pair was too tight in the thighs, but then too loose around the waist. The second appeared to be ill-fitting capris; the third gave you “mom butt;” the fourth had a precariously placed rip- so on. Eventually, you form a mound of rejected denim.
At this point, you firmly believe that you’ve tried on every size of every jegging, skinny, straight, boot-cut and flared pair that there is. Hopelessly depressed, you consider giving the search a rest until the sales clerk comes around with one last pair. Voilà! They seem tailor-made for you.
If you followed my metaphor, then you understand that Theta Alpha is the blue jean designed just for me.
