Dresses are not my thing. I mean, I’ll wear them sometimes, when I have to, but I don’t usually put them on for the fun of it. So on move-in day freshman year when I saw a bunch of girls, mostly in dresses, standing in the hot sun while rushing for panhellenic (read: traditionally Greek) sororities, I couldn’t help but applaud them. I think sororities are for some girls and I’m definitely not knocking them; they put a focus on sisterhood and do great things with their philanthropy. But the idea of having to introduce myself to girls I didn’t know over and over again and worrying about getting picked for a certain sorority was not for me. I was sure that I would have to wade around campus for student groups that did community service that I could latch onto, and hopefully make friends.
Then I found out about Gamma Sigma Sigma, a national service sorority that puts community service above all else. It seemed simple enough; a few girls I had met once or twice from my dorm were going to the first meeting on their three days of “rush”; why not join them? It was a very casual beginning to what ended up shaping my entire freshman year.
Now, I’m not saying it was an automatic “All right, that was great! I feel very comfortable! Everything is fine!” I called my mom crying the night before the last meeting because I was so worried that I was committing to something that I wasn’t prepared for. 20 hours of community service per semester is daunting, no matter what background you come from, and I was stressed that I wouldn’t make the requirement and that I would never meet anyone. She assured me that it was something that I could try for a little while and see what I thought, and said that if there was anything that could help me make some new friends, this was it.
And let me tell you, it was the best choice I made freshman year (aside from keeping dinosaur oatmeal in my dorm room at all times). The girls from my dorm who did Gamma Sig as well are now some of my closest friends, and they share my drive for school-related things and otherwise. One of the best traits about Gamma Sigma Sigma (in my opinion) is the full acceptance of every girl who wants to join. There’s nothing holding anyone back from being a part of the sorority, and because of that, there are girls from all walks of life.
Gamma Sig is a casual environment, but each girl there is passionate about community service. Otherwise, why would we do 20 hours of volunteer work every semester? That’s crazy. But then there are girls who go above and beyond that, clocking in 30—sometimes more—hours, and pushing the rest of us to do the most that we can. That kind of atmosphere is enough to make you feel like you can make a difference, even in a group of hundreds of girls.
I didn’t even touch on the social aspects of the sorority, including formal, semi-formal, socials with fraternities on campus, and date nights. The events are optional, but the friends and the impact on the surrounding community are very real. I go to UGA, so I’m a part of the Chi chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma. Our motto is “Service with a smile, Southern style,” and if that isn’t the cutest way to describe our cause, I don’t know what is. I strongly encourage any freshman girl who is struggling to find her place to consider Gamma Sig, not only because of the amazing opportunities it grants but also because of the amazing sisterhood. Joining Gamma Sig is something I find myself thankful for every day, and I can’t wait to be a part of it for the next couple years of my life. Wee-oop!
