As Fall Rush approaches on campuses all around the country, including my own, I think about my own experience with the Greek system. I've learned so many things about myself and grown as a person. I can't imagine my college experience without my sorority because it's been such an amazing part of my life. My sisters have made such a great impact on my life, and they are some of the most amazing people I've ever met. I love living in the house, I love sitting in my pjs in the social room with my sisters, and most of all, I love my big sisters.
From the moment I walked on campus, I knew I wanted to be Greek (and which house I wanted to be in). But I never could have imagined how perfect it would turn out. In November of my freshman year, we had open houses for the sororities. This is where I met my first future big sister, Julia. We hit it off immediately, and I thought (and still think) she is the coolest. But since then, she has traded up to a fancy grad school and left little me back here in undergrad. But she's still awesome, and even though I miss her a lot, I've been promised an invite to her wedding so that's good.
It was Julia that actually introduced me to my second big, Brittany. At least, I think so. We aren't really sure how we met, we just knew that at one point we didn't know each other and then we did. I knew that she was going to be perfect when I found out she had a cool accent. Brittany is the opposite of me while at the same time being the same person. I couldn't have asked for a better friend and Big than her.
I currently live in our sorority house, and I'm loving it. I live with my sisters all of the time, so I just walk down the hallway and see 27 of my favorite people. I have a kitchen with snacks that I can grab at any time and don't have to travel to Wal-Mart every 2 weeks to replenish. When people decide to go to a meal or go somewhere, you hear a yell down the hallway and more yells following to wait for them. Instead of the freshman dorm I lived in last year where I had a real conversation with maybe 10 of the girls, I feel completely comfortable around anyone living with me. Plus, more closets.
I also love when sisters come to the house for dinner, someone puts on a movie in the social room, or when there is a spontaneous hang out in the kitchen when everyone is coming home for the night. It's the weird and unexpected interactions with my sisters that I love the most. These girls have seen me at my best and at my worst, and they still allow me to associate with them. The little things are what bring us together as sisters and friends because we find the little things that we love about each other.
By far, the best thing that my sorority has given me is a group of girls to support me and push me to be my best self that I can be. Since joining, my GPA has gone up from my sisters' constant encouragement and help with studying. I am more involved with volunteer and campus activities so I can spend more time with them. I am more confident in who I am after being surrounded by women who love me and I know are always looking out for me. I couldn't ask for more genuinely kind and generous people than my sisters. As I write this, I am sitting at a table surrounded by sisters, and there is no better feeling than being with your family away from family.
