The other day I met up with my best friend, who attends a different university and greek life is not present on her campus. She was originally affiliated before she transferred schools so she completely understands the time dedication you have to have while being in a sorority. Before we both left, me to go back to polish week, and her to go back home to see her family, she asked me when the next time we were going to see each other was. I really didn't have an answer for her because we were just starting work week and I knew good well that recruitment was a solid week and a half. I told her about three weeks from now and it sort of broke my heart. I moved in early as well, so she and a lot of my friends back home were still, well home.
The first couple days were fun; being away at college again always had it's perks. I got to see all of my sisters and the rest of the Panhellenic community, I got to get ready for recruitment, and I got to be a self-proclaimed adult again.
I thought that was all great until I realized that my friends at home were still hanging out and doing things, and that's when it hit me. FOMO was completely real. I felt sad and upset because I would see my friends do things and take cute pictures without me, but there was nothing I could do about it. I went missing for the last couple weeks of summer, but I had no choice. Thanks to polish week and recruitment I had to leave early. I had moved into my room in the sorority house, and I was getting ready for the most stressful and wonderful week of my life: recruitment week.
Still upset about moving early and leaving my friends I had realized that I need to get over my fear of missing out, and get on the idea that everything I am here early for, is for the betterment of my chapter. The reason I was back at college two weeks early was to learn songs and chants and how to talk to people so rush week wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be. I'm writing this at the seven-day mark of polish week, and I can confidently tell you that I'm the happiest ever. I'm happy I got to spend this week with all of my sisters learning everything we need for the upcoming week. I'm happy because going "MIA" for two weeks before everyone left back to go to school made me realize how much I love my chapter and my sisters. It made me realize that everything I want for my chapter had to be worked for and if it meant leaving home a couple weeks early I would have to go with it.
I'm okay with going missing in action for these two and a half weeks because I know when I do, it is preparing me for conversations and nights during rush week that will help girls find their home. For me personally, finding my home in greek life was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I want girls going through recruitment to know that us on the other side have given up tons of time and weeks that could have been spent with family and friends but, we chose to give it up to get prepared for rush week. Honestly we wouldn't want to have it any other way.
